NBA News Today: Luka Doncic resets record books with 60-point triple-double, Erik Spoelstra lauds LeBron James' longevity, and more
Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Doncic made NBA history on Tuesday night with his 60-point triple-double versus the New York Knicks.
In other news, LA Lakers star forward LeBron James received some high praise from his former coach Erik Spoelstra.
On that note, here is the latest news from around the NBA as of Dec. 28, 2022.
Luka Doncic makes NBA history with 60-point triple-double
Luka Doncic made NBA history during the Mavs’ 126-121 overtime win over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.
Doncic scored a career-high and franchise-best 60 points to go along with a career-high 21 rebounds and 10 assists. In doing so, he became the first player in NBA history to record a 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double.
Luka record breaking night:
— First 60/20/10 game all-time
— Career high in PTS
— Career high in REB
— Most PTS in a game by a Maverick
— Most 50-point games by a Maverick
He’s only 23. https://t.co/LlgMh3mRsp
The win included Doncic hitting a game-tying putback shot in regulation to force overtime after Dallas trailed by nine points with just 33 seconds remaining. He then scored seven of the Mavs’ 11 points in overtime to secure the victory.
The win marked the Mavericks’ fourth straight and helped them improve to 19-16 and sixth in the Western Conference. During Dallas’ four-game winning streak, Doncic has averaged 41.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 2.5 steals, and 2.8 3-pointers per game while shooting 59.1%.
For more on Luka Doncic’s historic night, click here.
Erik Spoelstra lauds LeBron James' longevity
The LA Lakers are set to face off against the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra recently spoke about his former star player, LeBron James.
Spoelstra highlighted how impressive it was for James to still be performing at an elite level. This comes as James gets ready to celebrate his 38th birthday on Friday. Spoelstra even compared James to NFL legend Tom Brady.
“It’s crazy,” he said.
“He’s redefining what’s possible with human performance. The way he looks, it looks like he’s the Tom Brady of the NBA, that he could just keep on going.”
‘He’s redefining what’s possible’: LeBron James on a roll before facing #Heat on Wednesday #NBA trib.al/icT8FaR https://t.co/w0IoN3jrcA
LeBron James isn’t quite the two-way force he was during his four seasons with Spoelstra in Miami from 2010 to 2014. However, he’s still been getting things done on the offensive end.
James is averaging 27.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game on 49.7% shooting. Unfortunately for James, though, his efforts have mostly been wasted as the Lakers are just 14-20 and 13th in the Western Conference.
NBA insider speculates that Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic could team up in Denver
As previously mentioned, Luka Doncic has been doing his best to carry the Dallas Mavericks this season. Doncic is currently second in the league in scoring at 33.6 points per game. The Mavericks' second-leading scorer is Christian Wood, who is averaging just 17.4 points per game.
Doncic's lack of a co-star is a big reason why the Mavs are barely in the playoff picture in the West. It's also why there has been increased speculation about who he might eventually team up with in Dallas, including reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic.
However, according to NBA insider Tim MacMahon, Doncic is more likely to team up with Jokic in Denver.
"Well, the only reason I’m gonna say yes is because I’ve seen Mavericks fans saying, 'Him and Luka are buddies, Jokic’s in the house,'" MacMahon said.
"I would be more concerned about perhaps that thing going the other way."
Luka Doncic joining Nikola Jokić in Denver is more likely than Jokic joining Doncic in Dallas, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. https://t.co/imnshIR07w
This certainly isn't ideal news for Mavericks fans as the Denver Nuggets are currently 22-11 and first in the West.
However, Doncic is locked into his current contract until 2027. So, Dallas still has plenty of time to surround Doncic with the right pieces.
NBA executive believes Julius Randle would be a good fit next to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee
Julius Randle has had an up-and-down tenure over his first four seasons with the New York Knicks. This includes Randle going from being a player Knicks fans wanted to trade for an All-Star to becoming the 2021 NBA Most Improved Player of the Year.
He then took a bit of a step back last season. However, Randle is once again playing at an All-Star level this season, averaging 23.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game on 46.8% shooting.
Despite his strong play, New York is still just 18-17 and sixth in the Eastern Conference. This has led to some speculation that the team could still trade him and trend towards a youth movement.
According to an anonymous NBA executive who spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, Randle would make a good frontcourt partner for Giannis Antetokounmpo. The executive suggested the Milwaukee Bucks as a potential trade destination for the Knicks star.
“I am not saying that Milwaukee is beating down the doors to get Julius Randle, but that is the kind of star who could work well with a player with Randle’s skill,” the executive said.
NBA executive believes Julius Randle could benefit playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee: ahnfiredigital.com/nba/milwaukee-…
This is all speculation at this point. However, the Bucks would likely be thrilled to land Randle if they can get him without giving up too much.
If they can do so, it could help them secure their status as the frontrunners to win the 2023 NBA title. Milwaukee is currently tied for the second-best record in the league at 22-11.
Joel Embiid and James Harden poised to make NBA history
Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and James Harden have both been dominant this season. So much so that they are on track to accomplish a rare feat that hasn't been accomplished in 41 years.
Embiid is currently leading the NBA in scoring at 33.7 points per game. Meanwhile, Harden is leading the league in assists at 11.2 assists per game. It's worth noting, however, that he does not yet qualify to be among the league leaders after missing 14 games due to injury.
The last time two teammates led the league in these two stat categories was in 1982. This was when San Antonio Spurs legend George Gervin led the league in scoring while his teammate, Johnny Moore, was the NBA's assists leader.
Joel Embiid and James Harden could become first teammates to lead the NBA in scoring and assists in 41 years inquirer.com/sixers/joel-em… via @phillyinquirer
When asked about their success this season, Embiid gave a very simple answer.
"We just know how to play. We just know what to do," he said.
"I think the biggest thing that we’ve gotten better at is the timing. He’s such a good playmaker that he just finds me and sees the plays that not everyone else might see."
The Sixers are 20-13 and fifth in the Eastern Conference. They have won eight of their last nine games and it looks like Embiid and Harden are beginning to reach their full potential in Philadelphia.