Luka Doncic’s career night drove an improbable comeback, rewrote the Dallas Mavericks’ record book and made NBA history all at once.
To make history, Doncic played 47 minutes in the win, shooting 21 for 31 from the field, 2 for 6 from beyond the arc and 16 for 22 from the free throw line. The Mavericks stole the victory despite trailing by nine points with less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation.
“I’m tired as hell,” Doncic said during a walk-off interview with Bally Sports Southwest. “I need a recovery beer.”
The 23-year-old Slovenian guard matched James Harden’s NBA record for points in a triple-double. Harden tallied 60 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the Houston Rockets in a 2018 win over the Orlando Magic.
Before Tuesday, Doncic’s career high was 51 points, set in a Feb. 10 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Mavericks’ scoring record previously belonged to Dirk Nowitzki, who poured in 53 in a 2004 win over the Houston Rockets.
Doncic’s 21 rebounds broke his career high of 20, recorded in a 2020 win over the Sacramento Kings. The previous player to register a 60-point, 20-rebound game was Hall of Fame center Shaquille O’Neal, who posted 61 points and 23 rebounds for the Los Angeles Lakers in a 2000 win over the Clippers.
Only two players — Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor — had recorded a 50-20-10 triple-double before Doncic.
“The history of the game is written by the players, and that was written again tonight,” Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd said. “Luka doing something that has never been done before, that’s hard to do. There have been some great players before him. He was in a class with Elgin Baylor and Wilt, and then he made his own class. That’s pretty cool.”
Doncic’s spectacular numbers were a byproduct of Dallas’s frantic comeback. In the final minute of regulation, Doncic made a midrange jumper, a layup and a putback in quick succession, earning a free throw on the final basket, which he also made. That flurry, coupled with three-pointers by Dallas’s Christian Wood and Spencer Dinwiddie, trimmed New York’s lead to three points.
Then, with 4.2 seconds left, the Knicks fouled Doncic on purpose so that he couldn’t attempt a game-tying three-pointer. He proceeded to make his first free throw and intentionally miss the second, and the rebound caromed into his hands. As the clock ticked down to the final second of regulation, Doncic tossed in a leaning runner that tied the score and forced overtime.
“I just threw it up and I was kind of lucky,” Doncic said. “We came back. This is an amazing team win.”
All told, Doncic scored 10 points in the final minute of regulation, and he added seven more in overtime to seize the victory. The Mavericks became the first team in the past 20 years to win after trailing by at least nine points with 35 seconds remaining, according to ESPN.
“This kid doesn’t quit,” Kidd said. “He keeps playing. His teammates didn’t quit. They saw that from their leader. He’s so competitive. He’s going to will his team. We’re lucky. We can’t take him for granted. People get their money’s worth when they come to watch him play. He puts on a show. He’s all about winning.”