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Tim McMahon, ESPN Staff Writer
DALLAS — Luka Doncic didn't think much about his latest historic feat.
Doncic recorded his fourth straight 35-point triple-double while leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 114-108 home victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night, joining Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. It broke a tie for the longest record in NBA history. . This is Doncic's fifth consecutive triple-double, each with at least 30 points, a feat previously achieved only by Westbrook.
“It's great, especially when it comes to winning,” Doncic dismissed the buzz after his 35-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist performance. “That's all that matters right now.”
It was a much-needed win for the Mavericks, who had lost their previous three games and dropped five of their past six despite Doncic's individual talent.
Dallas (35-28) revamped its starting lineup, replacing Derek Lively II and Josh Green with center Daniel Gafford and wing Derrick Jones Jr., but that doesn't seem like a quick fix. We couldn't, and had to fight back from a 15-point deficit. Since the All-Star break, the Mavs have ranked last in the league in defensive efficiency. Dallas improved significantly in that area for the rest of the game, holding the Heat to under 25 points in the final three quarters.
Doncic, the NBA's scoring leader, continued his trend of putting up incredible numbers, often in flashy fashion. The highlight of his appearance was a highly contested come-from-behind 3-pointer that gave the Mavs a lead in possession midway through the fourth quarter and received the ball with two seconds left on the shot clock.
“Those are my favorite shots,” said Doncic, who made 12 of 24 from the floor and 7 of 13 from 3-point range. “Once I let go, I could feel it coming in.”
The same goes for Doncic's teammates in Dallas, who routinely see him take difficult shots during games and while attempting trick shots.
“Now, I trust him to kick the ball from the other side of the court,” Lively said. Lively posted a game-best plus-minus of plus-17 in 23 minutes off the bench and was a key part of the defense in the contest. . I'll come in.
This is Doncic's 15th triple-double of the season and 71st in his six-year career, already ranking him ninth in NBA history.
Doncic is averaging a triple-double in his last 23 games, averaging 36.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 10.5 assists.
“It's insane,” said forward P.J. Washington, who arrived in Dallas from Charlotte in a trade-deadline deal. “I've never seen anything like this. I mean, he's one of the greatest players I've ever seen play and just being on his team is special. So I think it's special. , I want you to cherish every moment.”
Mavs coach Jason Kidd, who has scored at least 35 points on just two of his 107 triple-doubles during his career, spoke with fellow Hall of Famer and TNT color commentator Reggie Miller and Doncic before the game. We talked about how his scoring ability compared to Michael Jordan.
“I've always said this: You can't take that young man for granted,” Kidd said. “You're looking at something as rare as Picasso.”
Kidd then shifted the focus from Doncic's dominance to his poise on the court, an aspect of his game that is one of the perennial MVP candidate's biggest weaknesses. Kidd grinned, pointing out that Doncic has 13 technical fouls this season, which puts him three short of the automatic one-game suspension, but he hasn't had a technical foul in the last two games. Laughed.
“We're doing well,” Kidd said half-jokingly. “You're talking about a triple-double streak. I think we're on a no-T streak, so we have to talk about that as well. I think he has a little more energy right now. , and I think his poise is great.'' Win or lose, he's in a really good place. He loves winning. He wants to win, but I'm starting to see him turn a corner here. I think there is.”
