Luka Doncic's History-Making Triple-Double Leads Dominant Mavs Win Over Spurs

Mavs superstar Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double in his return from a one-game absence, leading Dallas to a dominant victory over the Spurs.

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks (17-12) completed a back-to-back with a home matchup against the San Antonio Spurs (4-24) on Saturday. Luka Doncic and Dante Exum returned to the lineup after being sidelined for Friday's blowout loss against the Houston Rockets, helping to lead a 144-119 victory over the Spurs. 

“77. That’s how good he is. Not just Luka, but Exum, I thought, them having the energy and then taking control of the game," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "I thought the group, again, played well. We shot the ball a lot better than we did last night. But a great character win, too, because we could have felt sorry for ourselves about our performance last night, but we turned the page. Much-needed win before we go to Phoenix for Christmas.”

Shortly before tipoff, the Spurs ruled out Victor Wembanyama after stepping on a ball boy's foot during his pre-game workout. San Antonio started Zach Collins in his place. The Mavs continued to play without Kyrie Irving (right heel contusion), Dereck Lively (left ankle sprain), Josh Green (right elbow sprain), and Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation). 

“He was warming up, and he came down on the ball boy’s foot and tweaked his ankle again," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "And maybe he could have played, probably could have played, if it had been a playoff game, I probably would have played him. He’s not happy about it, but I would rather err on the conservative side since it is the same ankle. It is just a freak accident before the game.”

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The Mavs opted to go small with Dante Exum, Derrick Jones Jr, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Grant Williams next to Doncic — similar to the group that helped rally the team back from a 22-point deficit in the near comeback win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. However, the group struggled to execute, prompting Dwight Powell to be subbed in midway through the frame. 

The Spurs deployed Jeremy Sochan as the primary on-ball defender against Doncic while trying to maintain drop coverage. Whether Sochan went over the screen with a big in the paint or went under the screen to prevent a drive, San Antonio tried its best to contain the paint, but Doncic still had a solid opening period. 

Once Collins went to the bench, the Spurs began switching 1-5, which tends to be when Doncic gets aggressive as a scorer. He forced a timeout at the 2:30 mark of the first quarter after converting on a step-back 3-pointer after a switch, extending the Mavs's lead to 31-24. Dallas' momentum continued, leading by as many as 12 points within the frame.

"He just destroys whatever defense is thrown at him," Popovich said of Doncic. "And I think he must be underestimated as an athlete. You know, you look at him, and he looks like he ate a couple too many donuts, sometimes. You don't think of him as an athlete athlete. But talk about, beyond basketball IQ, just a feel for the game, making decisions at exactly the right moment."

The Mavs scored 40 points in the opening period, leading by an 11-point margin. Doncic had already totaled 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists in just 12 minutes of play. It was a stark contrast from Friday's loss against the Houston Rockets without Doncic or Exum in the lineup, as the team didn't reach the 40-point threshold in that game until there was 9:13 left to play in the third quarter.

With Doncic on the sideline, the Mavs' bench group continued the momentum, with Tim Hardaway Jr. dunking it to end a drive in semi-transition, regaining a 12-point lead with 9:55 left to play in the third quarter. However, a Spurs run led by Sochan cut Dallas' lead to five points when Doncic checked back midway through the period. A made corner 3-pointer cut Dallas' lead to two, prompting a timeout.

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When Sochan wasn't on the floor, the Spurs often had Cedi Osman tightly guarding Doncic to obstruct him from getting where he wanted to be on the floor. The Slovenian superstar continued to play through contact to create advantages. The Mavs also mixed up their half-court approach, using Horns and Stack pick-and-roll at times but mostly attacking early in the shot clock, getting into high ball screens, and using his size advantage on post-ups. 

Neither team pulled off a run to create a clear advantage before halftime, but the Mavs did lead 72-66 at the break. Doncic had already racked up 25 points, nine rebounds, and six assists. San Antonio held him to an inefficient half shooting-wise, shooting 8-19 from the floor and 2-6 from deep. Regardless, it was his seventh time scoring 20 or more points in a half this season. Hardaway had 14 points, with A.J. Lawson also being in double figures at 10 points with four rebounds. However, Dallas' inability to consistently execute without Lively continued. 

“Guys are just battling, man," Hardaway said. "It’s tough, and we’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve still got to go out there and play. We’ve got so many injuries and so many guys out right now. 

"[They are] key components to this team and help us win ball games," Hardaway explained. "We’ve just got to hold down the fort and hold it down until our guys get back. We’re trying to do that to the best of our abilities, and we’re going to keep on fighting.”

To force the Spurs into more challenging defensive situations, the Mavs opened the second half playing out of Stack pick-and-roll with Hardaway as a back screener. The goal of continuing to get into the offense quickly continued as well, with Doncic finding Williams for a pick-and-pop 3 to regain a double-figure lead (79-68) with 9:58 remaining in the third period. 

With Doncic and the rest of the offense finding a rhythm from beyond the arc in the third quarter, the Mavs gained a lead as large as 21 points after he connected with Exum on a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer on a spray-out pass. Dallas continued to pour it on the Spurs, achieving a 31-point lead entering the fourth quarter. 

The Spurs frequently deployed drop coverage in 1-5 pick-and-rolls in the second half, which Doncic usually rips apart, and he did. He also continued to create advantages by hunting mismatches when receiving a small-to-small screen since the Spurs opted to switch 1-4. Doncic often created open shots for his teammates after drawing two defenders. No matter what San Antonio did, Doncic had an answer. 

After Hardy converted on a 3-pointer with 8:19 remaining in regulation, the Mavs' lead reached 41 points (133-92), with many of the team's low-minute players on the floor. Greg Brown III checked in for Williams, which allowed most of the team's starters and critical rotation players to gain a resting opportunity. 

“Not intentional, but just get a win, you know," Doncic said of resting the fourth quarter. "And that was great. Just rest in the fourth quarter, it’s always the best for me – I love it.”

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With Doncic recording 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists before the fourth quarter, he achieved his 36th regular season triple-double. As a result, he passed James Harden for the fourth most in NBA history while also coming within one of tying LeBron James for the next spot on the list. 

Each Mavs' starter scored in double figures, with seven players meeting the mark. In addition to Doncic, his teammates to reach this threshold include Hardaway (23 points), Exum (20 points), Lawson (17 points), Williams (14 points), Powell (14 points), and Jones (11 points). 

The Mavs' next game will feature a matchup against the Phoenix Suns as the final of five games for the NBA's Christmas Day slate.