By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Dallas Mavericks topped the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday evening at the Smoothie King Center to improve their 2019-20 NBA regular season W-L tally to 2-0. Luka Doncic completed his ninth NBA triple-double including a clutch three-pointer to give the visitors a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter.
He stepped back still needed some help from the glass, but eventually his shot made its way in and the Texans gained a 120-113 lead with 1:23 to go. “It was lucky” he admitted following the contest referring to his clutch effort.
“He makes those shots. He’s wild. At the end of the game, he was really clutch” said Kristaps Porzingis who himself contributed to the “W” with 24 points and five blocks, “That’s him. He loves those moments. I love those moments. And we’re going to try to be dangerous there at the end.”
Playoffs
The Mavericks last competed in the NBA playoffs back in 2016. Dirk Nowitzki still had three more seasons in him, Doncic was just finishing his first professional campaign with Real Madrid. A different situation is in play at the moment, but the Dallas organization seems primed to relive past glory at least in terms of postseason action.
Doncic will likely be the catalyst, made a display of power by scoring eight of his 25 points in the last five minutes of the game versus the Pelicans. “Everybody’s happy after this win, but it’s just the start,” the 20-year-old Slovenian mentioned keeping his mind on making it to the 2020 playoffs, “We’ve got to keep it going.”
Another record
Aside his scoring display down the stretch, he tallied 10 rebounds and 10 assists as well. The Mavs are up 2-0 for the first time and 15 years, last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year became the youngest player ever to record a triple-double within the first two games of a season, neither has any other player been up to nine triple-doubles at his age, leaving behind him Magic Johnson (7) and LeBron James (5).