Mavs win, but Luka Doncic's run of 30-point triple-doubles ends
Game Recap: Mavericks 127, Bulls 92
Luka Doncic came through with yet another triple-double. About the only thing he didn’t do was keep his record streak going.
Doncic had 27 points, recording another triple-double but doing so without scoring 30 for the first time in seven games, and the Dallas Mavericks rolled over the Chicago Bulls 127-92 on Monday night.
Doncic finished with 14 assists and 12 rebounds, but exited the blowout midway through the fourth quarter to end his NBA-record streak of 30-point triple-doubles at six.
“It’s about winning to him,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Numbers, I don’t know if they really mean anything to him today. But when he does retire, he’ll look back to see the game that he was playing was at a different level than anybody else.”
The Mavs’ star made history on Saturday with his sixth straight triple-double with at least 30 points. He also extended his record with a fifth straight 35-point triple-double as he notched 39 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in the 142-124 win.
Overall, Doncic set the tone as Dallas outscored Chicago by 28 in the first quarter. The Mavericks gave up a season-low in points while handing the Bulls their most lopsided loss. He just missed a triple-double in the first half with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. He scored 15 to go with six assists and six rebounds in the first quarter.
In the win, Doncic passed Jason Terry (1,140) for No. 2 on the team’s all-time 3-pointers made list and passed Shawn Bradley (3,340) for No. 4 on the team’s all-time rebounding list. Since the All-Star break, Doncic is averaging 36.4 points, 10.1 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game.
Former Bulls center Daniel Gafford made all nine of his field goals for Dallas, extending his run of consecutive made shots to 28 — seven shy of the NBA record. Wilt Chamberlain made 35 in a row for the Philadelphia 76ers from Feb. 17 to Feb. 28, 1967.
“My philosophy for sure is just being consistent, having a mindset of just going to finish everything no matter if there’s somebody in front of you or if there isn’t somebody in front of you,” Gafford said. “At the end of the day, either dunking it or putting it in the rim.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
