Luka Doncic finished with 36 points in a win Monday vs. Brooklyn to break a record held by Wilt Chamberlain.
As good as Luka Doncic has been during his first four years in the NBA — a span that includes three All-NBA selections and a trip to the Western Conference finals — he might be even better now.
The former third overall pick is on a historic tear to start 2022-23, culminating (so far) in his ninth consecutive 30-point game to begin the season. His 36 points in Dallas’ 96-94 win over Brooklyn on Monday vaults him past Wilt Chamberlain’s second-best mark of eight 30-point games to start a season.
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) November 8, 2022
Doncic played 38 minutes and passed the 30-point mark on a step-back 3-pointer with 3 seconds left on the shot clock with 7:54 remaining in the fourth quarter. Overall, he shot 11 for 22 from the floor, including 5 for 9 on 3s and 9 for 12 from the free-throw line.
Luka Dončić has recorded his 9th consecutive game with 30+ points to begin this season.
Dončić’s current streak is the 2nd-longest streak of games recording 30+ points to begin a season in @NBA history.
Wilt Chamberlain, 23, 1962-63
*Luka Doncic, 9, 2022-23 pic.twitter.com/7PaEKNyQET— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) November 8, 2022
Chamberlain’s only competition, until Doncic, was himself; the “Stilt” holds the all-time record with 23 such performances to begin the 1962-63 campaign.
Doncic entered the night far and away the early league-leader in scoring at 36 points per game, nearly five points better than second-place Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
