Did Luka Doncic say "I am that n***a" after 73-point game? Debunking viral tweetÂ
Jan. 27, 2024 will mark the day that Luka Doncic had a historical 73-point performance on the road against the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena. Social media erupted with the Slovenian basketball star's stats being flashed everywhere, but some took advantage of the situation to get attention from them.
In a widely circulated post, NBA Centel provided a caption for Doncic's impressive 73-point night, featuring the quote, 'I'm still that n***a.' The post implied that the five-time NBA All-Star used the offensive term.
Certainly, some basketball enthusiasts may perceive this as an actual event, while others may simply enjoy the humor intended from it. However, it's essential to clarify that Luka Doncic did not utter these words either during or after the Mavericks' game against the Atlanta Hawks.
NBA Centel is merely a parody account, and its resemblance to NBA Central can lead to confusion at first glance. Notably, any content posted by this social media handle is purely satirical in nature.
What Luka Doncic really said?
The Dallas Mavericks were able to snap a three-game losing streak against the Atlanta Hawks with Luka Doncic firing 73 points over a team that traded him on draft day for Trae Young.
The four-time All-NBA first-team ended the night with 73 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and eight three-pointers.
After the game, Doncic was asked what his mindset was entering this matchup with the Hawks:
"We've been struggling lately. [My] mindset, let's get a win. We played great. We showed you a little bit of defense but we played great offense," Doncic said.
The 24-year-old NBA standout achieved his 73-point performance by sheer determination to secure a victory, coupled with astute defensive assessments and making strategic plays:
"I was just going," Doncic said. "Whatever defense they gave me in the second half, they double me all the time so I make some plays. Then sometimes, I would just break the double."
Doncic got some help from his teammates mainly from Josh Green chipping in with 21 points while Tim Hardaway Jr. came off the bench with 13. Rookie Derek Liveley II almost had a double-double with nine points and 11 boards.
On the other side, Trae Young was the leading scorer with the Hawks with 30 points while three other players had 20-point nights. Their combined output was not enough to get over the hot shooting of Luka Doncic.
The Dallas Mavericks return home for their next game as they take on the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 27, and face the Orlando Magic two days after.