Luka Doncic ‘one of the most talented guys I’ve ever played against’
Portrait of Matt Eppers
Luka Doncic was named a finalist for the Most Improved Player award on Saturday. It won’t be long before he’s a finalist for MVP.
Doncic put on another show Saturday night with 36 points, 14 rebounds and a career-high 19 assists to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 136-132 overtime win over the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks. The reigning Rookie of the Year was the talk of the NBA bubble, including in the opposing locker room, where he drew high praise from the reigning Most Valuable Player.
“Talented, really talented. One of the most talented guys I’ve ever played against,” said Bucks star Giannis Antetokoumpo, the 2019 MVP who was named a finalist for this year’s award. “He’s making the whole team better, and he’s going to keep getting better. As long as he’s making his team better, they’re going to be tough to beat.”
Doncic dazzled with electric passes all night, driving into crowds in the paint only to somehow find an open teammate on the perimeter. For his final assist, Doncic went between his own legs to Maxi Kleber for a three-point play with about a minute left in overtime.
Dallas coach Rick Carlisle was particularly impressed by Doncic’s last assist.
“I clapped. I applauded. I thought it was phenomenal,” said Carlisle. “… Luka is not only a great basketball player, he’s a great performer. I’d pay money to watch him play. I don’t say that about a lot of players, but he’s really special.”
Everyone else seemed to make a bigger deal about the pass than the man himself.
“I don’t know why I did it. I just did it. I didn’t think about it,” said Doncic, who has a league-leading 17 triple-doubles on the season, including three in five games during the restart. “I saw it and I didn’t think about it before right in the moment.”
Doncic shot 12-of-24 from the field and committed only two turnovers in 42 minutes, spearheading a Mavericks attack that had just six turnovers as a team.
Said Doncic: “I’m feeling fresh and just trying to make the right decision.”
Luka Doncic recorded his league-leading 17th triple-double of the season in the Mavericks’ win.
Saturday’s games
Clippers 122, Blazers 117: Los Angeles rallied late and held on after Damian Lillard missed a pair of late free throws that sparked a postgame war or words.
Nuggets 134, Jazz 132 (2OT): Denver coughed up leads late in regulation and the first overtime before holding on thanks to 23 points from returning Jamal Murray.
Pacers 116, Lakers 111: T.J. Warren stayed hot with 39 points to help Indiana rally late and improve to 4-1 in the bubble, while dropping Los Angeles to 2-4.
Suns 119, Heat 112: Devin Booker scored 35 points as Phoenix improved to 5-0 in the bubble and moved within 2½ games
of eighth place in the West.
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