Luka Doncic scores an unprecedented triple-double with 29 points in the 1st half

With his 60th career triple-double, Doncic overtakes Larry Bird in 9th place in the NBA rankings for triple-doubles.

DALLAS (AP) – Luka Doncic had 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in the Dallas Mavericks’ 147-97 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night after recording the first triple-double of his career in the first half.

It was Doncic’s 60th career triple-double, moving him past Larry Bird into ninth place on the career list.

“Pretty amazing,” said Doncic, who wore a thin headband for the first time just days after becoming a father for the first time. “I don’t know what to say, honestly. We all know who Larry Bird was, so it’s pretty special.”

The only players with more career triple-doubles than Doncic: Russell Westbrook (198), Oscar Robertson (181), Magic Johnson (138), Nikola Jokic (113), LeBron James (108), Jason Kidd (107), Wilt Chamberlain (78) and James Harden (74).

Doncic hit 14 of 25 shots from the field, including 6 of 12 from 3-point range.

“Luka set the tone with that, taking shot after shot after shot … shot after shot after shot,” said Tim Hardaway Jr. “I thought he was going to go 50-20-20.”

Doncic entered the final at 1:30 of the second quarter with 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. He grabbed a rebound off a missed free throw by Keonte George with 1:11 minutes left. Twelve seconds later, he threw a pass inside to Dereck Lively II, whose dunk was his 10th of the season.

Thanks to the real-time stats for the players on the court displayed on the video boards at the American Airlines Center, the crowd followed Doncic’s progress and erupted in cheers after Lively’s dunk. It was the first triple-double with 25 points in the first half in NBA history.

Doncic admitted that even he was aware of his numbers in the final minutes of the half.

“I was going for the last field goal and the assist,” he said.

It was the Mavericks’ highest-scoring game of the season and two points shy of their highest-scoring game in the regular season to date.

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