Luka Doncic I returned this Sunday with the Dallas Mavericks having missed ten games first with an ankle injury and then after entering the coronavirus protocol.
Doncic roz the triple-double with 14 points (6 of 14 shooting), 9 rebounds, 10 assists and one steal in the Mavericks’ away win over the Oklahoma City Thunder (86-95).
In the first minutes of his return, in which the negative note was his 7 turnovers, Doncic posted two house-brand plays: an alley-oop pass from Dwight Powell and a step-back triple.
But his most important play came in the last minute with an assist from behind for Maxi Kleber’s front triple that ended the victory of the Dallas team after a discreet game against one of the worst teams in the league.
Doncic, Kleber and Hardaway Jr., three mainstays of the Mavericks squad, returned to the court this Sunday after leaving the coronavirus protocol.
The Slovenian had not played for the Mavericks since last December 10 in his team’s loss to the Indiana Pacers (106-93).
During Doncic’s ten away games, the Texas franchise won five games and lost as many. The Mavericks are now 18-18 that puts them in the play-in positions. in the Western Conference.
Not counting tonight’s game, Doncic was averaging 25.6 points, 8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game.
Aside from the base’s return to the slopes, tonight’s game set a record for the Australian Josh Giddey of the Thunder, who became with 19 years and 84 days in the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double (17 points, 13 rebounds and 14 assists).