We knew he was incredibly talented, capable of turning the tide of a match on his own and carrying the fate of an entire franchise on his (robust) shoulders.
But you couldn't imagine that he would go so far, so fast.
On the NBA floors, the latest outings of the 23-year-old Slovenian leader leave you in awe.
In the space of seven days, the headliner of the Dallas Mavericks achieved what no one else had done before.
In the list of the greatest talents in world basketball, it is difficult not to place him at the top.
Luka Doncic's week of anthology begins with a Texas derby on the floor of the Houston Rockets on Christmas Eve.
The Slovenian reached the 50 point mark for the second time in his career and added 10 assists and 8 rebounds to his bag.
Enough to guide his people to victory (112-106).
There followed, the next day, a Christmas match against LeBron James' Lakers (Mavs victory 124-115) during which the leader missed the triple-double by a hair (more than 10 units in three categories of statistics), with 32 points, 9 assists and 9 rebounds and more than 50% shooting success (9/16).
Crazy party at Madison Square Garden
Chaining two such performances is a luxury that few basketball players in the world can afford, but for Luka Doncic, it's more like a classic work routine.
Above all, it is ultimately not much with regard to what follows.
Traveling to the legendary Madison Square Garden floor in New York to face the Knicks on December 28, the Slovenian hits hard.
Very strong.
To tell the truth, the basketball planet is still trembling after the shock wave caused by this extraordinary triple-double: 60 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists and a simply astonishing 21/31 in shooting.
Never seen.
No one had achieved such a feat in the glorious history of the North American league.
Read alsoEuro Basket: France beaten by Slovenia with an exceptional Doncic
And as a bonus, he knew how to be "clutch" (decisive in the crucial moments of the match) to lead his Mavs to victory after an extension that he himself snatched.
And how !
Led by three units with 4 seconds remaining, Dallas obtained two free throws.
The Slovenian comes on the line, scores the first and deliberately misses the second to then grab the rebound and score the equalizing basket, almost at the buzzer.
Dantesque.
The Texas franchise finally wins 126 to 121.
250 points in five games
What to satiate the appetite of Luka Doncic?
Don't count on it.
48 hours later, the Slovenian genius signs his 54th career triple double with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, again against the Rockets for a new success for his team (129-114).
Finally, last night, to conclude the year 2022 in style, here he is again exceeding the bar of 50 points (51) on the Spurs floor, this time.
And on the final free throw, with Dallas leading by a single unit with 1.5 seconds remaining, Doncic deliberately misses his shot, to grab the rebound before everyone else and thus secure the narrow victory for the Mavs (126 -125).
Pure genius.
51 PTS
6 REB
9 AST
4 STL
6 3PM
W
Luka has dropped 50+ in 3 of his last 5 games.
Unstoppable.
pic.twitter.com/AFYYqmWaUb
— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2023
In total, the Slovenian has 250 points, 50 rebounds and 50 assists over the last five games.
Again, no past or recent glory of the NBA had managed to raise the cursor so high.
If some will reproach him for his sometimes interminable possession times (he is the league leader in this category) or his vehement and repetitive protests against the refereeing corps, all recognize the obvious: Luka Doncic writes the story.
And the title of MVP (best player of the season) is reaching out to him.
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