DALLAS — With superstar players often taking over, there’s a misconception about basketball being a team sport. Nevertheless, it does take more than one player to win a game in the NBA, so it’s hard to flaunt individual achievements while a team flounders.
After all, the Dallas Mavericks had lost four of their last five entering Monday’s matchup against Orlando. The loss against the Phoenix Suns last week may have been the worst moment of the season to date for Dallas, and it was also one of the first times that Luka Doncic’s near-spotless career looked blemished.
For as insanely talented as Doncic is, much has been made of the need for him to block out the theatrics that come with the game and maintain focus. The sight of a hunched over Doncic leaving the floor was miserable for everyone, and the clearly frustrated sixth-year guard let it be known in the post-game press conference how bothered he was.
The season felt like it was at a fork in the road, one that could not depart any further off course lest the year be lost, and the way that Doncic and his team were tasked with performing in their next opportunity would either show the resiliency of their character or a path to devastation if they were unable to rebound from being embarrassed.
When Doncic took the court in Atlanta to start the weekend against the team that traded him to Dallas on the night he was drafted, it was quite apparent which route the All-Star starter had elected to traverse.
By game’s conclusion, Doncic achieved something only three other players in the history of the league have ever accomplished. Luka shot 76% from the field, 62% from three, and was 15-of-16 from the line along the way to a historic 73-point statement.
Doncic is now tied for the fourth-most points in a game by a single player. The list goes Wilt, Kobe, Wilt again, and now Luka.
Doncic was on the court for over 44 minutes in his 73-point effort and played 46 in the losing effort against Sacramento the following night. While he put up yet another triple-double with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 17 assists, he was clearly showing signs of exhaustion.
It’s admirable to see Doncic continue to push himself to help offset the team’s ever present injury log, it’s what an MVP candidate would do, but Dallas still either needs to find help fast for their superstar or start putting together more consistent basketball with current cast if Dallas wants to avoid a play-in slot in the Western Conference.
Sitting at 26-21, the Mavericks are tied with the New Orleans Pelicans atop the Southwest division but the mark is only good enough for the No. 7 seed in the West at the moment, which would see them on the outside looking in for a guaranteed spot in the playoffs.
With Kyrie Irving once again unavailable Monday against Orlando, the Mavericks were in the familiar position of playing with a drained roster. The vibes were pointing toward a blowout loss going into halftime versus the Magic, but Dallas came back to grind out the win. It was the kind of victory that the Mavs haven’t been able to find very often this season, which has prevented them from stringing together wins and joining the elite contenders in the conference.
But on Monday, Dallas had the look of a completely different team after halftime with a huge third quarter led by a Tim Hardaway Jr. heater. The at-times erratic THJ has put together quality work this season when one of the Dallas guards is missing in action, and he once again slid into the secondary option role with 36 points to pair with Doncic’s near triple-double of 45 points, 15 assists, and nine rebounds.
Doncic had one day of rest before another 43-minute effort, with a commitment to starting the All-Star game looming instead of a vacation in a few weeks. There’s no rest for the weary, not that Doncic would even take it anyway.
Dallas will look to close out January on Wednesday with another go at the conference-topping Minnesota Timberwolves, who have been a true thorn in their sides all season. The Mavs started the preseason with back-to-back meetings against the Timberwolves and have looked rough against the Minnesota front-court in each match.
Dallas is 1-2 against Minnesota in the regular season, who remain No. 1 in defensive rating and opponent points per game thanks to their bigs. The lone Mavs win came in their last meet in early January when Kyrie and Luka went off for a combined 69 points.
Dallas can even the season series against Minnesota before February brings in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard for a big clash against the Milwaukee Bucks at the AAC on Saturday.
Do you think the Mavericks can put together a string of wins to start February? Share your thoughts with Irvin on Twitter @Twittirv.
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