Heading into Thursday night’s matchup against the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was on the verge of matching some impressive NBA history. He had recorded a triple-double while scoring 30+ points in four straight games, matching Oscar Robertson for second most ever.
The No. 1 spot in that list was filled by Russell Westbrook, who accomplished the feat five times in 2017. Against the Heat, Doncic did match the mark Westbrook set as he scored 35 points with 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
It is quite an impressive feat for Doncic, who has been stuffing the stat sheet all season. While he tied Westbrook for the most 30+ point triple-doubles in a row, he made some more NBA history on Thursday night.
According to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, Doncic has broken the tie he had with Westbrook and Robertson for most 35+ point triple-doubles in a row. He now sits alone atop that list with four straight games.
But, the historic performance wasn’t what Doncic was focused on after the game. He was happy that it came in a victory, as it snapped the three-game losing streak Dallas was on entering the game against Miami.
“It’s great, especially when it comes with the win,” Doncic said, brushing off the topic after his 35-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist performance. “That’s all that matters right now.”
It was an impressive victory for the Mavericks, who had to climb their way back from a 15-point deficit during the game. They were able to figure things out on the defensive end of the court in the second half, curtailing the number of 3-pointers the Heat were connecting on.
Defensive efforts like the one they had in the second half have to become the norm in Dallas if they are going to make any noise in the postseason. They can score with any team in the league, as Doncic and Kyrie Irving are a dynamic duo offensively. But, they don’t offer much in the way of production defensively, putting a lot of pressure on their teammates.
Dallas is now 2-3 during Doncic’s historic streak, as his gaudy numbers haven’t been enough to get the team wins consistently. A big reason for that is the inability of the Mavericks to consistently get stops on the defensive end.
Since the All-Star Break, Dallas has the worst defensive rating in the NBA. Doncic is incredible with the ball in his hands, but if he and his teammates don’t figure things out defensively, their stay in the playoffs, should they even make it, will be short-lived.
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