The Mavericks star celebrated his 25th birthday in style against the Raptors.
Luka Doncic had 30 points, 16 assists and 11 rebounds on his 25th birthday for his 11th triple-double of the season as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Toronto Raptors 136-125 on Wednesday night.
The Mavericks star seems to do things that fans have never seen before, and Wednesday was no exception. Doncic became the first player to achieve those numbers on their birthday, per Sportsnet Stats:
“Doncic is the first player in NBA history to record a 30-point Triple-Double on his birthday.”
Doncic’s numbers speak for themselves. The Mavericks superstar is averaging a league-leading 34.5 points per outing on 49.4 percent field goal and 38.4 percent three-point shooting. He’s also recording 8.8 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd recently said that Doncic is making a case for the NBA MVP award:
“I don’t think you’re gonna win the MVP in October, November, or December,” Kidd said after practice last week. “I think it’s more likely you win it in February, March, April, I think he’s put himself in a great position to win the MVP.”
Doncic isn’t just putting up elite individual numbers. Under his leadership, the Mavericks are 8-2 in their last 10 games and currently sit at 34-25 – good for eighth place in the NBA Western Conference standings.
It’s amazing what Doncic has been able to accomplish before the age of 25. With most NBA players peaking between the ages of 27-29, it’s reasonable to assume that Luka will continue to improve over the next handful of seasons. Additionally, Luka’s game isn’t as predicated on athleticism as many other players, which means his game should age like a fine wine.
About the Author
Peter Sampson has been covering all things sports (with a focus on the Portland Trail Blazers) for more than a decade, most recently hosting “The Pulse with Peter Sampson” in Afternoon Drive for 750 The Game. Prior to that, he hosted an NBA wrap-up show that aired immediately at the conclusion of every Trail Blazers game. Peter had previous stops at Blazer’s Edge and XRAY.FM – where his show “Blazer’s Edge Radio” was named “Portland’s Best Sports Radio” in the 2017 Willamette Week reader’s poll. When he’s not telling the stories of your favorite sports team, Peter can be found recording the next garage rock classic in his basement studio, whipping up an authentic Italian meal in the kitchen, or trying to figure out the appeal of Minecraft with his 9-year-old son in the living room.
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