Luke Doncic has lit a flame to the NBA record books to start his sophomore season.
The 20-year-old set another mark by recording the fastest 30-point triple-double in league history Wednesday, needing less than 26 minutes against the hapless Warriors. Doncic started the game with 22 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds in the first quarter as the Mavericks built a 44-16 lead over Golden State.
Those 22 points included a mix of step-back jumpers, catch-and-shoot threes, pull-ups, and also Doncic’s second dunk of the season. He even managed to turn a failed assist into two points by rebounding Justin Jackson’s missed 3-pointer and finishing with a lay-up.
The milestone was one of many that Doncic has already achieved this year. Earlier this week, he joined LeBron James as the only two players to have 40-point triple-doubles before turning 21. Last month, Doncic set a record for the most triple-doubles before the age of 21 with nine, though that figure has since increased.
It would be one thing if Doncic were padding his individual stats without affecting team success, but Dallas – pegged as a fringe playoff team to start the season – is tied for fifth place in the Western Conference at 9-5, sitting atop a morass of teams below the presumed contenders. The Mavericks have the best offensive rating in the league at 115.2 points per 100 possessions, per Cleaning the Glass, and Doncic is the primary engine.
The Slovenian guard (forward? it’s too hard to tell these days) has improved meaningfully in every offensive category compared to his rookie season. In addition to his counting stats (points, rebounds, and assists), Doncic has also boosted his shooting percentages and free throw rate, all while increasing his usage. He now assists on nearly half of all of Dallas’ baskets while he is on the floor (49.4%), a massive jump from his assist percentage of 31.7 a year ago.
Doncic has also made strides on the defensive end, where his rating has gone from 110.6 last year to 109.6 this year. Combined with his other-worldly offensive performance, Doncic’s overall net rating has spiked from minus-3.1 to plus-5.9. It’s the kind of transformation that puts him in the conversation not just for Most Improved Player (though sophomores really should be exempt from that award), but also an All-Star berth and an All-NBA nod.
All of this wouldn’t mean nearly as much if Doncic weren’t so fantastically fun to watch play. He went toe to toe with the King in an early matchup against the Lakers and may have emerged with a victory had he not taken a hit to the head late in the fourth quarter. He makes passes that belie his age, seeing openings across the court or sometimes completely behind him. His step-back three generates more space than just about anyone but James Harden. Even when he attempts plays that have little chance of his succeeding, Doncic has earned the faith and trust of his coach Rick Carlisle to continue playing freely.
With his complete bag of skills on the offensive end, the question isn’t whether Doncic can keep this up, but how much further he can go. The Mavericks are filled with complementary players until Kristaps Porzingis regains his pre-ACL All-Star form. They go as Doncic goes, and thus far he has been the given the keys to do literally everything.
As Carlisle told ESPN, “Look, he’s a very special player on a special roll. There’s not much else to say. This isn’t a big news flash now. This is getting to be pretty normal.”
J.J. Barea seconded that sentiment about the ease with with Doncic is achieving his historic numbers. “It’s not hard for him to do this right now. He’s not forcing crazy s—. It’s just coming. That’s why I think he can keep this up. He’s making it look easy,” Barea said.
While the NBA and its television partners have seen ratings slip, it’s a wonder they only have Doncic and the Mavericks on national television nine more times this season. Doncic has become must-see TV at only 20 and is a threat to break a league record every time he steps on the floor.
Right now, Doncic is in his element. It may not always look as simple as it did against the Warriors, but the NBA’s best sophomore is always capable of doing things the league has never seen.
