Only three players have ever been better
Superstar Doncic delivers a spectacle that is hard to believe
January 27, 2024, 9:33 a.m
Luka Doncic has immortalized himself on the NBA’s best lists. He scored an incredible 73 points against the Atlanta Hawks. It is the fourth highest yield in league history. The superstar himself can hardly believe it. His coach finds amazing words.
With the fourth-highest number of points in NBA history, Luka Doncic has moved into an elite circle. The Dallas Mavericks basketball superstar scored an incredible 73 points against the Atlanta Hawks and almost single-handedly led the Texans to a 148:143 victory. In the first half alone, the Slovenian collected an almost unbelievable 41 points, setting a Mavs record. He then surpassed his own franchise-high of 60 points set in 2022.
“It was unbelievable,” said Doncic, “sometimes I couldn’t believe it.” The point guard converted 25 of 33 attempts from the field and 15 of his 16 free throws, as well as contributing ten rebounds and seven assists. Thanks to his brilliant performance, the Mavs stopped their negative run after three defeats in a row.
Doncic is only the tenth professional to score 70 points or more in an NBA game. Just four days earlier, reigning MVP Joel Embiid had broken the epic mark – in his Philadelphia 76ers’ win against the San Antonio Spurs. Previously, only Wilt Chamberlain, David Robinson, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant, Donovan Mitchell, Devin Booker and Damian Lillard achieved this. Chamberlain holds the record; on March 2, 1962, the legendary center scored exactly 100 points for the Philadelphia Warriors (now Golden State Warriors) against the New York Knicks. The closest is Bryant (81 points on January 22, 2006).
“It’s a special feeling to be called these names,” said Doncic, calling it “amazing” that he achieved his feat on the fourth anniversary of Bryant’s death. The Los Angeles Lakers icon died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. “We all loved Kobe,” emphasized Doncic.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Dallas teammate Josh Green. When asked whether Doncic had disrupted the game plan with his many completions, head coach Jason Kidd simply said: “He is the game plan.” Kidd joked that Doncic was probably annoyed in the dressing room about the three missing assists. Then the Mavericks star would have recorded a so-called triple-double (double-digit values in three statistical categories). With 25 wins and 20 defeats, the Mavericks have to fight for a place in the playoffs.