First Luka Doncic since Wilt Chamberlain with 7 games scoring 30 points in the opening season
DALLAS – It’s been sixty years since the NBA saw a season-opening scoring streak like Luka DoncicThe season has begun.
Doncic has scored at least 30 points in each Dallas Mavericks‘first seven games, longest 30-point record since the start of a season Wilt Chamberlain in 1962-63. It was a feat achieved only three times before, twice by Chamberlain and once by Jack Twyman.
Doncic is averaging 36.1 points per game. According to research by ESPN Stats & Information, that’s the third-highest average over seven games over the past 60 seasons behind Michael Jordan (37.0 in 1986-87) and Michael Jordan. James Harden (36.6 in 2019-20).
“It’s rare air and we can see it every night,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said after Doncic had 33 points in his previous 103-100 win. Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. “That’s pretty cool. A 23-year-old playing at this level is really, really special to watch. He can do it in so many ways, when you’re talking about posting or getting on the basket, shooting. 3. or go back to that small step.
“It’s really exciting to watch, and it just shows the focus he has right now. He’s carrying the team and putting the team in position to win.”
Doncic also had 11 assists, marking 30 points, his fourth 10 assists this season. The rest of the NBA has combined for four such games this season. Doncic broke Mark Aguirrefranchise record for longest 30-point game sequence.
As Doncic noted, it stands in stark contrast to his slow start to last season, when he admitted to having reported training camp in a state of flux.
“I just knew that from last year I had to start better, because the way I started last year was unacceptable,” said Doncic, who is shooting 51.4% from the floor. “I tried to learn from that and just got better than last year.”
Doncic, the All-NBA’s first-team pick for the past three seasons, is frequently on the short list of players who have achieved certain statistical milestones. With a grin, he said that it seemed like Chamberlain was “always there.”
“Great, but I’m not surprised,” guard Dallas Spencer Dinwiddie Talk about an important scoring streak in Doncic’s history. “Luka is a wise man in every sense of the word as it applies to basketball. Nothing shocks me. Obviously, he’s young and the best is yet to come. I think he’s going to make up. lots of records for the Mavs and join the conversation with the greats.”
