Luka Doncic notched a 21-point quarter and another triple-double and shrugged it off as 'just stats'
- Luka Doncic scored 38 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, his ninth 30-point triple-double of the season, in a win on Monday.
- After the game, Doncic shrugged off the accomplishment, calling it "just stats."
- Doncic has more 30-point triple-doubles than the rest of the NBA combined and more triple-doubles at his age than any other player in NBA history.
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Luka Doncic has opened 2020 on a tear.
The 20-year-old Dallas Mavericks point forward put up another impressive stat line in a 118-110 win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday, scoring 38 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Doncic's performance included a 21-point third quarter, and his final stat line marked his ninth 30-point triple-double of the season, more than the rest of the NBA combined.
Doncic hasn't seemed to care about his impressive statistical feat, shrugging off the numbers as almost meaningless.
"I don't know what to tell you, man ... just stats. I think every game is another stat," Doncic told reporters (via ESPN's Tim MacMahon). "For me, all I would say is it's more important to get a win."
The two things are related. The 23-13 Mavs are 7-4 when Doncic notches a triple-double. Doncic is averaging 30.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game while shooting 38.7% from three - well above his season average of 33% - in wins this year.
With those lofty stats also comes a hefty 35.9% usage rate, third in the league behind James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Yet it remains impressive how Doncic can carry so much responsibility at a young age and still lead the Mavs to wins.
On Monday, Doncic was hellbent to get his own shot against a Bulls defense that had no answer for him.
He also hit a couple of his patented step-back threes, moves for which there doesn't seem to be a defense.
According to MacMahon, Doncic is already in rare air with his statistical feats. His 19 career triple-doubles are 12 more than Magic Johnson had when he was Doncic's age. LeBron James had five. Doncic may not care about his stats, but as he continues putting up huge numbers, he increasingly makes his way into the record books.
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