Luka scores 50 for 3rd time in last 5 games to push Mavs over Spurs
Luka Doncic is ending 2022 on a high note.
The Dallas Mavericks star registered 51 points Saturday to help his squad narrowly hold off the San Antonio Spurs, 126-125.
It's the third time Doncic has cracked the 50-point mark in his last five games. He scored 50 points against the Houston Rockets on Dec. 23 before recording a 60-point triple-double against the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
Luka's last five
| Date | Opp. | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec. 23 | @ HOU | 50 | 9 | 10 |
| Dec. 25 | vs. LAL | 32 | 9 | 9 |
| Dec. 27 | vs. NYK | 60 | 21 | 10 |
| Dec. 29 | vs. HOU | 35 | 12 | 13 |
| Dec. 31 | @ SAS | 51 | 9 | 6 |
The three-time All-Star secured his 50th and 51st points on a pair of free throws with 4.5 seconds remaining in regulation to give Dallas a three-point lead. After Tre Jones converted two free throws to bring San Antonio back to within one, Doncic was sent to the line again with 1.5 seconds left. The Mavericks star missed the first attempt but purposely clanked the second off the front of the rim and grabbed the rebound to secure the win for Dallas.
Luka intentionally missed this free throw to secure the dub for Dallas 😅 pic.twitter.com/UgERmJTBgy
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 1, 2023
Doncic is the first player to eclipse 50 points three times over a five-game stretch since James Harden managed the feat in January 2019, per Elias Sports. Then with the Houston Rockets, Harden tallied 57, 58, 48, 37, and 61 points in that five-game span and averaged 43.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 2.1 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 14 contests that month.
While looking ahead to Saturday's matchup, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich joked Thursday that his team would hold Doncic to 50 points.
"Fifty is going to be our goal," Popovich said as he slammed the table with his hand sarcastically, according to Jeff Garcia of KENS5. "We're holding Luka to under 50."
Thanks to his 51 points, Doncic vaulted Joel Embiid in the race for this season's scoring title. The Slovenian sits at 34.2 points per game compared to 33.2 for the Philadelphia 76ers' star center. Embiid had a chance to reclaim the top spot later Saturday but finished with a 16-point triple-double in Philadelphia's 115-96 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.