Luka Dončić scored a career-high 73 points against the Atlanta Hawks. It is the most points scored in a game Dallas Mavericks history, torching the Hawks defense by making 75.8% of his shots. Dončić is one of four players to score over 73 points in an NBA game. He joins Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant and David Thompson. Dončić is one of 15 players to score 70 points in a game.
These achievements were against the team that traded him on draft night. Hawks drafted Dončić with the third overall pick in the 2018 draft to the Mavericks for the fifth overall pick Trae Young and a 2019 first round pick, that eventually led to Hawks drafting Cam Reddish the following year.
“It was great. You know, I could’ve been here but I think it benefits for the both sides. I actually saw one fan in Atlanta jersey with 77 so I was laughing. It was good.” Dončić stated post game on scoring 73 against the team that drafted him.
Not only will the trade go down in history as Young gets compared to Dončić and Reddish already plays for a different team, this historic game will be remembered forever. It is the most points scored in the State Farm Arena, opened in 1999. It showcased what could have been if the Hawks kept Dončić. Each point he made, felt like a constant reminder for the Hawks fans in the arena that their team traded away the superstar.
Dončić is a generational player, as he has averaged 28.3 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game in his career. He has won the Rookie of the Year award, has five All-Star nods and honored with four All-NBA First Team selections in his young career. He is headed to his fifth All-NBA First Team in a few months as he is in the midst of a career season, Dončić is averaging 34.6 points, 9.2 assists, 8.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He is shooting 49.2% overall and 38.1% beyond the arc.
Dončić is one of six players in NBA history with five All-Star selections before turning 25 years old. He joined Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Isiah Thomas and Anthony Davis.
Dončić’s performance against the Hawks displays the 24-year-old guard’s ability to bounce back. The best revenge was his historic performance against the Hawks. It is one game after he was criticized for asking for a Suns fan to be ejected from the AAC in Dallas, after heckling and cussing at him the entire game. In addition to the basketball world seeing that, he went back-and-forth with an ESPN reporter after the game. He was frustrated as the Mavs lost three straight games, his three-point shot wasn’t going in, the team fell to 8th in the West and his complaints to officials were talked about each game. He said he wanted to get back to smiling and enjoying basketball.
It was also a special moment for Doncic for another reason. Kobe Bryant tragically passed away on January 26, 2020. Four years later, Dončić scored a career-high 73 points on January 26, 2024.
“It’s very special, we all love Kobe man… it’s special, on the same day, obviously I wish he was here.” Dončić stated on scoring a career-high points on the same day of Bryant’s passing.
Dončić looked up to Bryant, his profile photo and header on X (formerly Twitter) is still Bryant.
As much as the Mavericks needed this win, Dončić needed this game more. He went back to enjoying basketball, he got his smile back. It paid dividends for the team and changed the narrative about him in one game. Sometimes his passion to win takes over his emotions, but the team plays their best when he is focused on destroying the opposing defense and not verbal battles with officials.
As the game ended and Dončić’s historic night went into the record books, he was greeted with a celebration from teammates with water bottles. It felt like a symbolic moment for the Mavericks and Dončić himself. A turning point for a team desperately looking to win.
The hangover won’t last long as the Mavs matchup against the Sacramento Kings 24 hours later inside the American Airlines Center in Dallas.