Kamil Krzazynski/USA TODAY Sports/Reuters
Doncic has been on fire since the All-Star break in February.
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NBA superstar Luka Doncic recorded his seventh consecutive triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Chicago Bulls 127-92 on Monday.
Doncic went 9-of-23 from the field at Chicago's United Center, posting 27 points, 12 rebounds, 14 assists and a steal in a big win despite not being the most efficient shooter. I got it.
The 25-year-old put his mark on the stat sheet again, but was given a historic shot to score at least 30 points as head coach Jason Kidd pulled him from the game in the fourth quarter when the Mavericks were trailing by 33 points. His consecutive triple-double streak ended after six games. .
“Just understanding that Luka is setting records, it makes it difficult when you try to win matches and try to respect the situation,” Kidd said.
“We gave him some cracks [extending the streak]Then I looked at him and said it was time to come out and he was good with it. It really shows his maturity and leadership. He not only kept records but also understood the situation. ”
Doncic, who is the league's leading scorer with an average of 34.6 points per game, has been on a roll since returning from the All-Star break. In the last 10 games, he recorded his 364 points, 114 assists, and 102 rebounds. No other player has matched that number in 10 games since the 1975-76 season. by Basketball Reference.
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During this period, defenses were unable to contain Doncic.
The Mavericks shot just under 55 percent from the field and were able to penetrate the Bulls' defense. Dallas got quite a bit of production from its big man duo of Derrick Lively II and Daniel Gafford, who scored 22 and 20 points, respectively.
“I've never seen two centers dominate like that,” Kidd said after the game.
Gafford, formerly of the Bulls, went 9-for-9 in this matchup and hasn't missed a hit in his last four games. What he just made is 28 consecutive field goalsThis is the highest number since live statistics began being recorded in the 1997-98 season.
“My philosophy is to be consistent and have the mindset that I just want to finish everything, regardless of who's in front of me or not,” Gafford said, per the Mavs. “At the end of the day, it was either dunk or get it to the rim.”
The Mavericks' offense was free-flowing, but Chicago struggled on either side of the ball. He shot only 39.3% from the field and lost by 35 points.
“We allowed a ton of roll to the basket and offensive rebounds,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said after the game. “We have to be drawn in more than ever.
“We were too worried about getting back to the 3-point line instead of saying, 'Hey, we're going to take the roll.'
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It was a disappointing return home for Donovan and the Bulls after posting a 3-1 record on the West Coast trip.
Onuralp Bitim, whose two-way contract was recently converted to a standard NBA contract by the Bulls, led the team in scoring with 17 points off the bench. Six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan (reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week and Doncic earning West honors) was held to just 13 points in a disastrous shooting night for the entire team. .
The Bulls fell to 31-34 after the disappointing loss at home, but remained the No. 9 seed in the East as they look increasingly likely to qualify for the postseason play-in tournament. The Mavericks also sit in eighth place in the competitive West Division, outside the play-in range, but have a significantly better record of 37 wins and 28 losses.
Both teams will return to the court on Wednesday, with Chicago hosting the Indiana Pacers and Dallas hosting the Golden State Warriors.
