Luka Doncic continues to torture the Phoenix Suns. Within the Christmas nightcap, Doncic scored 50 factors to go with13 assists, six rebounds, 4 steals and three blocks because the Mavericks defeated Phoenix 128-114.
Doncic hit eight 3-pointers, which ties a Christmas document. He was 12-for-12 on the free-throw line, and an environment friendly 12-for-25 from the sector. No energetic participant has ever scored extra in a Christmas Day recreation. The standout evening additionally doubles because the sixth 50-point efficiency of Doncic’s profession and simply the fourth 50 level recreation on Christmas Day general.
Talking of profession numbers …
With just below 5 minutes to play within the first quarter, Doncic, who’s but to even flip 25 years outdated, casually cashed what formally went down as a 34-foot 3-pointer to cross the 10K career-point mark for his profession.
Solely 5 different gamers have scored 10K factors earlier than their twenty fifth birthday, and they’re a few of the greatest scorers to ever reside: LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady. The trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker and Dwight Howard barely missed the mark, having achieved the feat inside weeks of their twenty fifth birthday,
At 24 years and 300 days, Doncic, per Elias Sports activities, is the sixth youngest participant in historical past to enter the 10K membership (the final participant to do it at a youthful age was Michael Jordan), and the seventh quickest by way of video games performed at 358.
Amongst energetic gamers, no one has reached 10K quicker than Doncic, who did it in 10 fewer video games than LeBron (368).
As quickly as he hit the shot, Doncic instantly began jawing with Suns followers, who had taken to booing him each time he touched the ball as he was busy lighting Phoenix up throughout a primary quarter that noticed him pour in 17 factors.
The person has been torturing the Suns since he and the Mavericks blew them proper out of the playoffs with a 33-point shellacking in Recreation 7 of the 2022 Western Convention Semifinals.
The final time the Mavs and Suns performed, Doncic and Devin Booker went nostril to nostril on the finish of the sport. Doncic’s potential game-tying floater had rimmed out, and he and Booker have been going backwards and forwards. They obtained double technicals.
Stated Doncic of the alternate with Booker: “Subsequent time, do not wait ’til three seconds left to speak.”
Christmas was the “subsequent time,” and Doncic, who had scored no less than 30 factors in 12 of his earlier 13 video games getting into play in Phoenix, got here out blazing.
This isn’t a man you need to problem to a duel. There’s not a participant within the league that scores simpler than Doncic, and that features Booker and his teammate Kevin Durant.
Doncic can rattling close to get a bucket each time he needs, and he is actually gotten a variety of them by way of the primary 358 video games of what it already a surefire Corridor of Fame profession.
