Mavs Score: Luka Doncic Powers Mavs to Victory with 73, Creating NBA History

Mavs Score: Luka Doncic, the talented player from the Dallas Mavericks, had an unforgettable evening on Friday. He dazzled the crowd at State Farm Arena by scoring a remarkable 73 points, achieving a career-high. This outstanding performance led his team to a thrilling 148-143 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Notably, this game stands as the highest-scoring match in the NBA this season, surpassing the impressive 70-point display by Joel Embiid, the center for the Philadelphia 76ers, against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Furthermore, Doncic’s remarkable feat ties him with basketball legends Wilt Chamberlain and David Thompson for the fourth-highest scoring output in NBA history. Chamberlain, who holds the NBA record with an astonishing 100 points, also had a remarkable 78-point game, while Kobe Bryant achieved 81 points on January 22, 2006.

Luka Doncic expressed his admiration for those names, emphasizing their uniqueness and remarking on the incredible nature of it all.

Friday evening signified the NBA’s 15th occurrence of a player scoring 70 points, and Doncic became the 10th individual to achieve this remarkable feat.

Doncic reached the 70-point milestone with a three-point play, leaving only 2 minutes and 58 seconds on the clock. As Dallas maintained a 140-136 lead, he further solidified his exceptional performance with yet another three-point play.

Despite averaging 33.6 points per game, Doncic humbly acknowledged that this particular display of skill and determination ranked among the pinnacle moments of his career. However, he emphasized that his primary focus remained on securing the victory for his team.

The Mavs have been facing some challenges recently,” he mentioned, referring to their three consecutive losses prior to Friday. “Our focus was to secure a victory, and we executed exceptionally well.”

Doncic’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary, as he amassed an impressive 41 points in the first half alone, surpassing Dirk Nowitzki’s record for the most points scored in a half in franchise history. By the end of the third quarter, he had already reached an astonishing 57 points and continued his dominance by scoring eight consecutive points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, ultimately finishing with a remarkable total of 73 points.

In the second quarter, Doncic contributed 23 points, following his initial 18 points in the first quarter. His shooting accuracy was outstanding, going 25-of-33 from the field, including 8-of-13 from beyond the arc, and converting an impressive 15 of 16 free throws.

“He was on fire. He was unstoppable,” commented Trae Young, who led Atlanta with 30 points. “We tried everything in our power, even resorting to trapping him.”

Josh Green contributed 21 points to Dallas’ score, while Doncic took charge of leading the offense.

Green expressed his astonishment, stating, “I have never witnessed such an extraordinary performance.”

In addition to his impressive scoring, Doncic also secured 10 rebounds and provided seven assists. This remarkable feat placed him among an elite group of NBA players, including Chamberlain (who achieved it six times), Elgin Baylor, David Robinson, and Embiid, who accomplished it just this Monday.

Furthermore, Doncic’s exceptional performance on Friday made NBA history, as no player had ever recorded as many points, rebounds, and assists in a single game.

When asked if his game plan changed due to Doncic’s exceptional performance, Mavs coach Jason Kidd humorously replied, “He is the game plan.” Kidd acknowledged Doncic’s remarkable skills in shooting, creating opportunities, and finding open teammates, which he displayed at an impressive level during the game.

Furthermore, Kidd emphasized the importance of not taking Doncic’s abilities for granted, highlighting his consistent contributions and unique impact on the court. It is worth noting that Doncic’s previous career high was 60 points, achieved against the Knicks on December 27, 2022.