Slovenian baseman Luka Doncic achieved the fourth best score in history in an NBA game, scoring 73 points in the Dallas Mavericks’ victory over the Atlanta Hawks (148-143).
Doncic just couldn’t surpass Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points, Kobe Bryant’s 81 and Wilt’s 78, who also reached 73 twice more, a mark also achieved on one occasion by David Thompson.
The Slovenian, who had a career-high 60 points, also a Mavs record, thus became the top scorer in an active game, surpassing Joel Embiid and Devin Booker’s 70, Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard’s 71.
The Mavericks’ ’77’ made 25 of 33 shots from the field (75.8%), including eight triples out of 13 attempted (61.5%), and only missed one of 16 free throws (93.8).
On the field for a long 44.43 minutes, Doncic, elected to the Western Conference’s starting five in the ‘All Star Game’, also added 10 rebounds, seven assists and one steal, committing just four turnovers and one foul.
The 24-year-old Slovenian scored most of the 73 points in the first half, which ended with 41, also a new personal record and that of the Dallas Mavericks.
In the second half, even with half the opposing team ‘falling on him’, he still added 32 more.
For the Mavericks, who were without Kyrie Irving and Maxi Kleber, and lost Derrick Jones Jr. to injury at the end of the first half, the highlight was Josh Green’s 21 points, Dereck Lively’s nine points and 11 rebounds.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, it’s ridiculous. He scored 73 points, but he still threw himself into the ground to defend and always trusted his teammates. With the energy he started, after two very complicated games, he infected the whole team,” he said. Josh Green.
Trae Young, with 30 points, plus 11 assists, Jalen Johnson, with 25, Bogdan Bogdanovic, with 24, and Dejounte Murray, with 22, led the hosts.