Luka Doncic wrote a new page in the NBA record books on Tuesday.
The Dallas star signed a stratospheric triple-double crowned with 60 points, allowing the Mavericks to win a thrilling victory in overtime against the New York Knicks (126-121).
The Slovenian guard added 21 rebounds and 10 assists, becoming the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double with at least 60 points and 20 rebounds. He is only the second player to score 60 points in a triple-double, after James Harden. He had 60 points with 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a game for Houston in 2018.
“He’s special,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of his star point guard, who also had two interceptions and a block. “For a player to do something that’s never been done before – it’s hard to pull it off,” Kidd said, as “there have been great players before him” in the league.
A personal record
More than ever a candidate for the title of MVP, Luka Doncic broke the rebound record of his young NBA career and signed his seventh triple-double of the season. The Knicks, thanks in particular to 33 points from Quentin Grimes, led by nine points with 33.9 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but Dallas came back.
Doncic (23) set the record straight with a second remaining, collecting the rebound from a free throw he intentionally missed and rising through a crowd of players to take a shot in suspension. “I think I got a little lucky,” he said. ‘I just threw it in the air’.
‘Need a beer’
Luka Doncic then scored 7 of the Mavericks’ 11 points in overtime to seal the victory, and left the field to a massive ovation from the Dallas crowd. ‘I’m completely exhausted,’ he said at the end of the game. ‘I need a beer to recover,’ joked the Ljubljana native.
/ATS
