CNN
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Luka Doncic continued his brilliant start to the 2022-23 season NBA season and equaled a record only two NBA Hall of Famers have set.
Doncic scored 33 points in the Dallas Mavericks’ 103-100 win over the Utah Jazz, meaning he’s now over 30 points in all seven games this season.
That made the 23-year-old just the third player in NBA history — after Jack Twyman once and Wilt Chamberlain twice — to score over 30 points in the first seven games of a new season — and the first in nearly 60 years.
Previously, four-time NBA MVP Chamberlain was the last to reach the mark, in 1962-63. Chamberlain first achieved it in 1959-60, the same season that Twyman did.
Doncic has regularly met with NBA legends in the few years he has been in the NBA, consistently breaking records set by the game’s greats.
And after the win, he credited the enduring presence of the former San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers as great.
“I always listen to Wilt Chamberlain. He is always there”, Doncic said thereafter.
Doncic added, “I just wanted to play in the NBA. This is really a dream for me.
“I couldn’t be happier just playing basketball and doing my job and that’s it. I’m just happy to play basketball and when we win games it’s even better.”
Doncic still has some way to go to match the record of 30 consecutive point games to open a season. Chamberlain holds the record with 23 consecutive games in 1962-63. He is also second on the eight-game list in 1959-60.
The Slovenian has been many people’s favorite for the MVP award this season and has started in electric fashion, averaging 36.1 points.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd praised Doncic after his all-around performance was the driving force behind Dallas’ win on Wednesday.
“I think there’s something special when you talk about MJ (Michael Jordan) and Wilt.” said Kidd, who compares Doncic’s influence with the Mavs to that of the former Chicago Bulls star and that legendary team.
“This is rare air. We get to see that every night, so that’s pretty cool. A 23 year old boy playing at this level is really special and cool to watch.
“He can do it in so many ways, if you’re talking about checking in or getting to the basket or shooting the three or shooting the small step back.
“It’s really cool to look at and it just shows the focus he’s got right now. He carries the team and puts the team in a position to win.”
