Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Domantas Sabonis make history as first-ever trio to record 20+ triple-doubles in a season
Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Doncic recorded his 20th triple-double of the season during Tuesday's 104-100 road loss to the Golden State Warriors. In doing so, he became part of a historic trio.
Despite Dallas seeing its NBA-best seven-game winning streak snapped, Doncic delivered another sensational stat line. The five-time All-Star tallied 30 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists and five 3-pointers on 50.0% shooting.
Doncic's 20th triple-double marked his first time achieving the milestone through six seasons. His previous career high was 17 in the 2019-20 season.
The 25-year-old remains third in the NBA in triple-doubles this season. He trails Sacramento Kings star big man Domantas Sabonis (26) and Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic (23).
According to NBA History on X/Twitter, Doncic, Sabonis and Jokic are the first three players to record 20-plus triple-doubles in the same season.
Like Doncic, Sabonis set his triple-double career-high this season, nearly doubling his previous best mark of 14 from last year.
Jokic, on the other hand, is still six triple-doubles behind his career-best total of 29 from last season.
With the season winding down, all three don't have enough time to challenge former OKC Thunder superstar point guard Russell Westbrook's single-season triple-double record. The nine-time All-Star recorded a whopping 42 triple-doubles during the 2016-17 season.
Nonetheless, the trio's record signifies the ever-improving skill level of the modern-day NBA.
Also Read: Luka Doncic 2024 NBA Playoffs Scouting Report: Dissecting Dallas Mavericks guard's role, impact and minutes
Steve Kerr praises Andrew Wiggins' defense on Luka Doncic despite 30-point triple-double
Luka Doncic may have recorded his 20th triple-double and 15th 30-point triple-double of the season on Tuesday. However, Warriors coach Steve Kerr was still satisfied with how his team defended the Mavericks superstar.
During his postgame interview, Kerr raved about forward Andrew Wiggins' defensive effort against Doncic. According to the veteran coach, Golden State's defense was the key to its victory.
“It was our defense that got us the win,” Kerr said. “Holding those guys to 100 points is pretty difficult. I thought [Wiggins] was brilliant. He put in so much effort just trying to make Luka work. Luka was amazing, as he always is, but that effort really set a tone.”
Doncic technically had a below-average scoring night, as he's averaging a league-best 33.9 points per game through 66 games. Meanwhile, he only reached 30 points on Tuesday.
He ranks second in the league in 30-plus-point games (48), trailing only OKC Thunder superstar point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (50). So, 30-point outings are nothing special for him.
Nevertheless, Doncic's ability to fill the stat sheet nightly, even against high-level defense, is a testament to his offensive dominance.
Watch: Steph Curry and Luka Doncic trade half-court shots in practice before clash