NBA Social Media Reacts to Luka Doncic's 73-Point Game in Mavs' Win Over Hawks
Sports can be the best storyteller on any given night, and Luka Doncic captivated the sports world with a performance usually found in a movie script.
Four years to the day Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant died in a helicopter crash, Doncic scored 73 points in the Dallas Mavericks' 148-143 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday at the State Farm Arena.
Doncic's 73-point performance was the most scored by a player in a game since Kobe scored 81 on Jan. 22, 2006, vs. the Toronto Raptors. Doncic is now tied for fourth all-time in points scored in a game.
“It’s very special, we all love Kobe, man ... It’s special, on the same day, obviously I wish he was here," Doncic said after the game.
Luka Doncic.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Doncic had most of the sports world in awe, ranging from current players to NBA legends, including Hall-of-Famer and all-time great Magic Johnson.
Chicago Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan also spoke highly of Doncic's dominant offensive display and predicted even more history could be made this season.
Doncic's showing comes on the heels of what has been a historic week for the NBA in terms of offensive performances. Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker scored 62 points on Friday, Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns scored 62 as well, and reigning MVP Joel Embiid dropped 70 earlier this week.
While 99.9 percent of the NBA world was positive about Doncic's performance, there is always one person who has to go against the grain. In this case, it was ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. He credited a porous defensive performance from the Hawks as the catalyst to a historic outing from the Slovenian superstar.
"Let's not go overboard with this. The fans want this? No, the league wanted it,” Smith said on an NBA on ESPN segment. “Did you see that? I mean, that was a layup line. That was the Atlanta Hawks. No wonder why y'all stink. Did you see how they played defense last night?"
Regardless, it was a special night as Doncic scored the most points in a single game in Mavericks history and the most in just over 18 years. Nights like the one Doncic had are rare and deserve to be praised and cherished because you never know when you'll see it again.
If Doncic can continue to carry the Mavs and string together more dominant offensive performances, he may make even more history before the season is over.
