The Yugoslav school of basketball is rampant in the strongest league in the world, and a day after Nikola Jokić in the Denver jersey equaled Wilt Chamberlain's record, Luka Dončić shone.
The organizer of the Dallas game, Dončić, led his team to victory over San Antonio on New Year's Eve (126:125), and the 23-year-old superstar scored 51 points.
Dončić scored over 50 points for the third time in the last five games, and for the fourth time in his career. All other players in Mavericks history have only four games with at least 50 points.
Dončić shot 18 of 29 from the field, 6 of 10 for three, 9 of 15 from the free throw line, and also recorded 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 block and did not lose a single ball in 37,14 minutes on parquet.
Dallas was celebrating its sixth straight victory. On Tuesday, December 27, Dončić achieved a triple-double in the NBA with 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists in overtime against New York. The Slovenian representative became the first player in league history to record at least 250 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists in five games.
And the coach with the most wins in the history of the league and San Antonio, Greg Popovic, who jokingly promised before the match that he would not allow Luka Doncic to score more than 50 points, was clear after the match
"Yes, there was a lot of team work and individual work to keep him, but he is an incredible player. His IQ is beyond all limits. We would have preferred to have won the game, like every team, but I am proud of the efforts of my players and how they fought," said Popović.
Chicago lost on its floor against Cleveland (102:103), and Nikola Vucevic had a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds, but also all four three-point misses.
Dallas won its sixth and the Nets celebrated their 11th win in a row on the floor of Charlotte (106:123).
Other results:
Houston - New York 88:108
Memphis - New Orleans 116:101
Minnesota - Detroit 104:116
Oklahoma Philadelphia 96:115
Utah - Miami 123:126
Indiana - LA Clippers 131:130
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