Luka Doncic sets Mavericks record for most triple doubles in a career

Luka Doncic (Google Images)

Point guard Luka Doncic of Ljubljana, Slovenia set the Dallas Mavericks franchise record for most triple doubles in a career on Wednesday. Doncic notched his 22nd career triple double as the Mavericks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 127-123 in overtime at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Doncic notched 30 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. He broke the record previously set by Jason Kidd, who had 21 triple doubles with the Mavericks in 500 games from 1994 to 1997 and again from 2007 to 2012. What is remarkable is that Doncic recorded his 22 career triple doubles in only 122 games.

Doncic’s triple double on Wednesday also makes him only the fifth NBA player in history to record 10 30-point triple doubles in a season. According to ESPN, the other four players to accomplish that feat are Oscar Robertson, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Michael Jordan.

Wednesday’s game between the Mavericks and Pelicans was also significant because it was the first game ever played between Doncic, and Zion Williamson, the Pelicans rookie phenom who was selected first overall in the 2019 NBA Draft. Williamson scored 21 points in the game.

In 2019-20, Doncic is averaging 28.5 points per game, 9.5 rebounds per game and 8.8 assists per game. Doncic’s 17 rebounds on Wednesday was the second most rebounds he has had in a single game in his career. On December 3, 2019, Doncic had 18 rebounds in a 118-97 Mavericks win over the Pelicans.

It should be noted that Doncic is not the only Mavericks player who is making an impact. Kristaps Porzingis, the first overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, had a huge game as well against the Pelicans as he scored 34 points and had 12 rebounds. Porzingis is averaging 19.5 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game in his first full season with Dallas since being traded from the New York Knicks on January 31, 2019.

The Mavericks are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference with a record of 38 wins and 25 losses. Even though they are only seventh, Dallas is comfortably in a playoff spot as they have a 10 game lead over the ninth place Portland Trail Blazers.