Luka Doncic made headlines again, scoring a record-breaking 73 points for the Dallas Mavericks in their 148-143 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday on the fourth anniversary of Kobe Bryant’s passing.
At 24, Doncic joins an elite group, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Bryant in single-game scoring. Surpassing his previous 60-point record, he achieved this milestone with just 33 shots, the fewest needed for 70 points since Bryant’s 81 in 2006; his performance ties for fourth in the NBA’s history.
Reactions to Doncic’s 73-point night varied. Kyrie Irving joined the celebration in the locker room, where teammates doused Doncic with water. Teammate Grant Williams humorously commemorated the event, a nod to Nicolas Batum’s reaction to Joel Embiid’s 70-point game.
Josh Green, scoring 21 points for the Mavs, compared the experience to playing NBA 2K, noting he had never seen such a feat even in the game.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors commented on the Hawks, who traded Doncic for Trae Young in 2018.
Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan expressed amazement at recent high-scoring games, suggesting a player might reach 100 points soon.
