You clicked on the headline knowing this but I really want to stress it as often as possible: Luka Doncic, in an NBA basketball game on Tuesday night between the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks, scored 60 points, reeled in 21 rebounds, and doled out 10 assists. The fact that the Mavs beat the Knicks, 126-121, in a remarkable game where some Doncic magic forced overtime after Dallas trailed by nine points with 33.9 seconds left almost seems secondary to the fact that he had 60 points and 21 rebounds and 10 assists in a game in the best basketball league in the entire world.
LUKA DONCIC HAS 60 PTS 😱
60 PTS
21 REB
10 ASTMAVS LEAD IN OT
📲 https://t.co/WjxYAo1gl0 pic.twitter.com/IVWumKedFT— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2022
Doncic, unsurprisingly, achieved an unprecedented statline on the night. Only Wilt Chamberlain (on two occasions) and Elgin Baylor had 50 points and 20 rebounds in a triple-double. Only James Harden had a 60-point triple-double. Never before in NBA history has a player hit 60 points and 20 boards in a single game until now.
After the game, Doncic appeared to be in a pretty good mood, even though he was pretty tired.
Luka Doncic. A man of the people. #MFFL | @dallasmavs on @BallySportsSW 📺 pic.twitter.com/dAuhESamk4
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) December 28, 2022
“I’m tired as hell,” Doncic said. “I need a recovery beer.”
Doncic did all of this in 47 minutes of work, only turned it over four times, and shot 21-for-31 from the field. He only made two of his six attempts from behind the three-point line. He is pretty good!