Luka Doncic surpasses LeBron James in exclusive NBA category. Here’s how he did it
The stars shine bright in the state of Texas, and one is coruscating his way into NBA history books at a spine-chilling rate. Since drafting Luka Doncic in 2018, the Dallas Mavericks have become one of the most feared teams in the Western Conference with the prodigy’s on-the-court arsenal.
On Monday, Doncic broke another record during the Mavs’ 113-100 victory over the Houston Rockets.
On the night he returned from a quadriceps contusion that sidelined him for one game, Doncic became the fourth fastest player in NBA history to reach 1,000 points, 1000 rebounds and 1,000 assists, passing Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James on the list. Doncic achieved the feat in 139 games. James needed 158 games.
The 21-year-old also recorded his first triple-double of the season with 33 points on 12-of-25 shooting, 16 rebounds and 11 assists, marking the 26th triple-double of his career.
“Luka’s one of many players that had heard the season wasn’t going to start until January or February,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said after the win. “We started the year in December ... so his preparation schedule was thrown off and he just got behind the curve.
“It’s pretty clear now that he’s working his way back to where he needs to be. All his physical and conditioning indicators are really going in a good, strong direction. And you can tell on the floor. You can see that he’s getting better and better as each day goes by.”
According to ESPN, there have been seven 30-15-10 performances since the wunderkind arrived in the NBA. Doncic has three, while the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic both have two. Moreover, Doncic’s three 30-15-10 performances fall second “among all players over the past 30 years, behind only Russell Westbrook’s five,” ESPN notes.
After a slow start, Doncic, who was 2-of-21 from beyond the arc during the first four games, has shown his ability to adjust sets him apart. Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra pointed that out during the Mavs’ 93-83 win over his team on Jan. 1.
“His ability to read defenses is what’s exceptional,” Spoelstra said, SB Nation reported. “He’s seen every coverage already at this point in his career. Literally every coverage teams have tried to throw at him, just to slow him down a little bit, but nothing seems to work at a super-high efficiency level.”
This story was originally published January 5, 2021 at 12:22 PM with the headline "Luka Doncic surpasses LeBron James in exclusive NBA category. Here’s how he did it."