No one knows for sure how it originated, but it’s something about the Los Angeles Clippers that gets under Luka Doncic’s skin and makes him turn his game up several levels.
It happened again Friday when the Mavericks’ all-world point guard tallied 44 points – miraculously on just 21 field goal attempts – to steer Dallas to an impressive 144-126 win over the Clippers during an in-season tournament game at American Airlines Center.
Doncic entered Friday’s contest averaging more points per game against the Clippers – 32.9 points, including the playoffs — than he has against any other team. That point production is the highest scoring average any player has averaged against any one team in their own conference since the 1976 NBA-ABA merger.
A sheepish Doncic said: “I didn’t know that. I mean, that’s great.”
Doncic made an incredible 17-of-21 shots on Friday, including 6-of-9 three-pointers. And to drive home the point on just how impactful he was, Doncic popped in 15 points in the opening four minutes and 10 seconds of the third quarter to give him 42 points at that juncture.
A total of 24 players between the Mavs and Clippers played at least five minutes on Friday. A total of 19 of them – including Clippers’ stars Paul George, James Harden and Russell Westbook – scored less than 15 points in Friday’s game.
Doncic was even marveling about the large number of catch-and-shoot jump shots he converted against the Clippers.
“I think people didn’t believe me that I’ve been working on that,” he said. “And it’s a way easier shot than a step-back, so that’s the beauty of it.”
Here are the three takeaways from the Mavs’ 18-point win over the Clippers.
NBA — OR VIDEO GAME: The Mavs put up some video game-type numbers on the Clippers on Friday. The 144 points are the most the Mavs have scored in a regulation game since they racked up 147 points against Seattle in 1986. Also, the 47 points Dallas scored in the second quarter represent the second-most point they’ve scored in the second quarter in franchise history. And the 32-point lead – 90-58 – the Mavs had in the third quarter is their largest against any opponent this season.
IT’S RAINING THREES: The Mavs have been dropping three-pointers through the basket this season like they’re going out of style. They added another 19 treys to their illustrious list on Friday, and now have 155 through their first nine games. That’s a new NBA record, eclipsing the 154 triples the Milwaukee Bucks converted through the first nine games of the 2020-21 season. What’s more, the Mavs are the only team to record eight games with 15 or more made three-pointers through the first nine games.
HARDAWAY THE SIXTH MAN: Another game, and another day where Tim Hardaway has made a strong case that he should be the front-runner to win this season’s NBA Sixth Man Award. Against the Clippers, Hardaway tallied 17 points on 6-of-13 shots. He also has made 32 three-pointers through the first nine games this season, which ties Carmelo Anthony (2021-22) for the third-most off the bench in NBA history. The two players ahead of Hardaway and Anthony who made more three-pointers through the season’s first nine games are Buddy Hield (40 in 2021-22) and J.J. Redick (33 in 2018-’19).
X: @DwainPrice
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