Mavs Film Study: Luka Doncic's 73 Points vs. Hawks - Deep Dive

Mavs superstar Luka Doncic scored a historic 73 points against the Hawks, tying for the fourth-highest-scoring performance in NBA history.

MINNEAPOLIS — Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic produced a historic performance in a victory against the Atlanta Hawks on January 26, 2024, scoring 73 points. His scoring display tied the fourth highest ever by an NBA player in a single game, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant. 

“Those names are special,” Doncic said. “It’s unbelievable.”

Despite Kyrie Irving being sidelined, Doncic had an impressive performance from an efficiency standpoint, making 25 of 33 shots from the floor, 8 of 13 perimeter attempts, and 15 of 16 free throws. It 

Doncic scored 41 of his points before halftime, breaking Dirk Nowitzki's record for most points in a half by a Mavs player. Doncic scored 65 before the end of the third quarter. The Hawks were more aggressive, doubling him in the fourth quarter. As the Slovenian superstar tends to do, he accepted the coverages of what the defense deployed and made the right basketball play. 

“You’ve got to continue to play and have trust in your teammates,” Doncic said.

Luka Doncic Scores Historic 73 Points, Guides Mavs to Electrifying Win vs. Hawks

A common theme in the Mavs' defensive approach was to attack small guards like Trae Young and Patty Mills throughout the game by bringing them up into screening actions, particularly off-ball actions like Zoom actions. Whether the Hawks deployed a wing like Jalen Johnson or Saddiq Bey, who avoided switching or trusted a bit like Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu to switch onto Doncic, he dominated.

Watch the in-depth breakdown of Doncic's performance against the Hawks on my YouTube channel. You can check out the Mavs' press availabilities, and other content can be viewed there throughout the season. 

Doncic averaged 34.7 points, 9.6 assists, and 8.6 rebounds in 40 games this season. He's continued to elevate his game as the Mavs have dealt with a long list of injuries to key players over the past few months.