The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 105-89 Wednesday night in Dallas to win the season series 2-1. This game felt like a playoff game from the start and was one of those Luka Doncic performances that had you shaking your head in amazement over and over again. Here are a few numbers from the game:
42: The number of points Luka Doncic scored.
Luka was absolutely spectacular, finishing with 42 points (6-of-11 from three) and nine assists. This was Luka’s fourth 40-point game this season, tied for second most only behind Joel Embiid and Dame Lillard (both with five). What is also crazy about Luka’s 40-point performances is that in every single one of the he also has 9-plus assists, per Mavs PR.
Luka was simply on one tonight, smiling through the highs and lows, and it was a joy to watch.
Plus-29: Luka’s plus-minus
Luka Doncic was plus-29 in a 16-point win in 42 minutes of play. The scary part of that is the in the five minutes of Luka sitting the Mavs were minus-13 but we’ll talk about that another time.
Luka told the media after the game. “The last two games were like playoffs. We played hard, and that’s how we’ve got to be ready for the playoffs if we make it.”
42 minute games can’t happen every night for Luka, but when your All-NBA star is playing like he was tonight — you play him as much as possible.
12: The number of wins for the Mavericks in the last 16 games.
The Mavericks are trending up after their rough start to the season. They have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the NBA and are inching closer and closer to moving up the standings. Dallas is still sitting in eighth place in the Western Conference, despite this good run, but are only two games back from the Portland Trailblazers in sixth, who just so happens to be who the Mavericks play their next two games. These next two games will be a big opportunity to continue to climb the standings. See y’all Friday night.