Luka Doncic is unfair. A walking cheat code.
He had one of his best games ever, a 60-point, 21-rebound, 10-assist triple-double against the Knicks, and it took every bit of that — and some true Luka magic — to lead a Dallas comeback at home against New York.
A Julius Randle lay-up put the Knicks up nine with :44.6 left in the game, but Doncic sparked a 14-5 run to end regulation that included an intentionally missed free throw and putback by Doncic with :01 on the clock to force OT.
EVERY ANGLE of Luka's RIDICULOUS game-tying putback bucket 🎬😱 pic.twitter.com/zVJAAKVw19
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2022
Sometimes one photo, one image can sum up an entire game.
Luka and Thibs pic.twitter.com/0f3HF1gqAa
— David Mai (@dmai21) December 28, 2022
Doncic did most of his work in the paint, shooting 16-of-18 for 32 points there, plus drawing enough fouls to get to the line 22 times (making 16).
Those 60 points are the most scored in a game ever by a Mavericks player, and Doncic joins James Harden as the only players ever with 60-point triple-doubles.
New York showed real grit, they didn’t have Jalen Brunson for the game (sore right hip) and then lost RJ Barrett to a right index finger laceration. Quentin Grimes continued his hot play with 33, while Julius Randle had 29 points and 18 rebounds. Late in the game it was evident how much the Knicks missed the stabilizing, floor generalship Brunson brings to them — they looked scattered at points. Brunson has not allowed that this season.
It might not have mattered when Luka Doncic is playing like this.
At 19-16 the Mavericks are now just 3.5 games behind the first-place Nuggets. Luka is playing at an MVP level and it’s fair to ask if he can keep this up, but he has been as good as anyone in the league this season.