Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Dončić sets NBA record for consecutive triple-doubles. How did he do it?
Once again the Slovenian star has demonstrated that he’s truly a cut above the rest. The only problem is that it’s not reflected in his team’s current record.
From his vision to his shooting, his presence in the paint to his defensive work, it’s clear that the Mavericks star has established himself as one of the best in the league. Indeed, his most recent record is likely just one more on a list that will continue to grow in length.
Luka Dončić is in the business of triple-doubles
If you caught the Dallas Mavericks in action on Saturday night, you would have seen them add more misery to an already disastrous season for the Detroit Pistons. Of course, you would also have witnessed the team’s central player writing his name in the history books once again. In what turned out to be a 142-124 win over the Pistons on Saturday night, the Mavs’ Luka Dončić became the first player in NBA history to register six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles.
Where specifics are concerned, Dončić put up 39 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds which incidentally took him past Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook’s record of five consecutive 30-point triple-doubles. Adding further weight to his feat is the fact that it also marked the fifth straight triple-double performance in which the Slovenian has registered 35 points or more. For perspective, the aforementioned Westbrook has three, along with NBA legend Oscar Robertson, while James Harden - Westbrook’s teammate - has two. What’s even more impressive is that Dončić could probably have added to his tally, but the team opted to keep him on the bench for the final minutes of the game, having established a comfortable lead over the Pistons. To be fair, the 25-year-old didn’t seem to mind.
The Mavericks have a special player but the team is progressing
Despite the deserved round of applause for Dončić, it’s worth mentioning that Kyrie Irving added 21 points and five assists to the board. There were also Daniel Gafford and Tim Hardaway Jr., both of whom recorded 17, while Derrick Jones Jr. put a solid 12 points on the board. The point here is, that this is a team that’s finding its own and doing so in an impressive way. That said, there is no denying the worth that Dončić has. “That just shows what level he’s playing on right now,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said following the win. “He knows he can score the ball, and he’s also able to find his teammates and, lastly, he’s able to rebound the ball.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Kidd has raved about his player. In January he suggested that the former Real Madrid star was the best franchise player that the Mavericks had ever seen and moreover, belonged in the GOAT conversation alongside Michael Jordan. There were also Kidd’s comments on Thursday following a 114-108 win over the Miami Heat. On that night, Doncic became the first player to record a triple-double with 35 points or more in four straight games. “As rare as Picasso,” Kidd said at the time.
At any rate, the point remains the same: As special as Dončić is, the Mavericks appear to be finding their footing as a team. The win on Saturday was the Mavs’ second consecutive win, a clear improvement following a three-game losing streak. Sadly, the same can’t be said for the Pistons who conceded their 10th loss in 12 games. Despite the fact that Cade Cunningham put 33 points on the board along with 10 assists and nine rebounds, it simply wasn’t enough to push the Pistons to a win. As for Dončić and the Mavericks, they are currently 8th in the Western Conference and will face the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.