By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Coming off six losses in seven outings, the Dallas Mavericks bouncing back at the bottom end of a three-game homestand was the focus of Luka Doncic. Recording a triple-double with at least 30 points for a fifth straight game and at least 35 points in four consecutive outings, settled for second.
“It is great, especially when it comes with the win,” the Slovenian star responded to a question about becoming the second player after Russell Westbrook to pack five 35-point triple-doubles in a row, “That is all that matters right now.”
Doncic, 25, combined 35 points with 11 rebounds and 11 assists against the Miami Heat at American Airlines Center on Thursday. His 15th triple-double of the 2023-24 NBA Regular Season and 71st of his career.
Recently returning to action after missing one month due to injury, Dante Exum added 13 points, five assists, and four rebounds over 17 minutes.
“Amazing performance, especially down the stretch. He was out for a lot of games. It is tough to come back. But he was amazing down the stretch,” Doncic praised his teammate, a leading player of Partizan Mozzart Bet throughout the 2022-23 campaign.
The team coached by Jason Kidd went up to 35-28. Sitting eighth in the Western Conference table, a distance of two games from the top six spots leading directly to the Playoffs and of seven games from the bottom end of the Play-In zone looks naturally glide to the higher seeds of the standings.