Numbers Game Special Edition: Mavericks vs. Luka
Prep yourself for one of the most highly anticipated Revenge Game matchups in NBA history with a special Tuesday edition of Numbers Game fueled by NBA statistics specialist Keerthika Uthayakumar
Luka Dončić has been a Los Angeles Laker for 24 days.
And with his first-ever game against the Dallas Mavericks falling on a Tuesday, it only seemed right to try to put together a souped-up edition of Numbers Game from The Stein Line exclusively devoted to that showdown.
Yet even that didn't feel sufficient.
To appropriately preview the occasion at the highest possible statistical level, I reached out to my pal
So now we can properly get ready for tonight's tipoff: This Tuesday-on-steroids edition of Numbers Game, with a major assist from the relentless Stat Keeks, spans 24 separate entries:
🏀 422
Dončić played in 422 games for the Mavericks in the regular season. That places him 19th in franchise history.
🏀 12,089
Luka's 12,089 career points in just 6 1/2 seasons left him fifth in Mavericks history.
🏀 33.9
At 33.9 points per game in 70 games in 2023-24, Dončić became the first Maverick ever to win the league's scoring title.
🏀 3
Dončić is one of just three players in NBA history with five All-NBA first team selections before the age of 26.
🏀 2
The other two are Kevin Durant and Tim Duncan.
🏀 44
In the 44 previous seasons of Mavericks basketball, only Dončić (five) and Dirk Nowitzki (four) have achieved All-NBA first team status.
🏀 7-0
The Mavericks went 7-0 in games that Dončić scored at least 50 points. NBA teams, for example, were just 13-7 overall last season when one of their players scored at least 50 points.
🏀 73
What was more impressive? Luka's 73-point game at Atlanta in January 2024 on 33 shots from the field? Or ...
🏀 60
Or his 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists in an overtime victory over the Knicks at home in December 2022?
🏀 3
When Dončić was held to 16 points or fewer in his first three games as a Laker, it marked his longest streak of sub-20-point games since his rookie season in 2018-19. He hadn't even gone two consecutive games without at least 20 points in one of them since May 2021.
🏀 8
The Lakers had lost eight consecutive games in Denver dating to April 2022 before their Luka-led breakthrough on Saturday night. Nikola Jokić averaged 26.9 points, 15.9 rebounds and 11.0 assists in those eight consecutive victories for the Nuggets.
🏀 80
At just 25 years old, Dončić has recorded 80 career triple-doubles. That's the seventh-most in NBA history; 40-year-old LeBron James is fifth all-time with 122 career triple-doubles.
🏀 560
Keerthika Special: There were 560 career triple-doubles on the floor Saturday night between Luka, LeBron, Joker and Russell Westbrook.
🏀 44
Dončić had 44 steals this season for the Mavericks before sustaining a calf strain on Christmas Day at home against Minnesota. He was Dallas' team leader in that category at that point of the season.
🏀 4
Luka's four steals against the Nuggets — to go with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists — marked the fifth time this season he has had that many in one game.
🏀 15
The Lakers have connected on at least 15 3-pointers in each of Luka's first four games. It only happened 11 times during L.A.'s first 50 games this season. Eight of Luka's first 23 assists as a Laker, meanwhile, have gone to LeBron James.
🏀 284
Dončić drained 284 3-pointers in 70 games last season ... putting him behind only one player: Golden State's Stephen Curry (357).
🏀 60
This will be the first season in Luka's career that he fails to reach the 60-game mark.
🏀 60
Anthony Davis has only reached the 60-game mark twice since 2018-19, including a career-high 76 games last season.
🏀 84.7
Entering this season, Dončić played in 84.7% of the Mavericks' regular-season games (400 of 472).
🏀 3,524
Dončić led th league in total minutes last season, combining regular season and playoffs, at 3,524 minutes across 92 games.
🏀 5-4
The Mavericks are 5-4 since news of the trade broke, with Davis playing in one of those games and recording 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocked shots in a Feb. 8 home win over Houston.
🏀 6-8
Over the past four games, Kessler Edwards has been the tallest listed Maverick in the starting lineup at 6-foot-8. The Mavericks have been heavily outrebounded (199-167) and outscored in the paint (240-192) in those games.
🏀 2019
The amazing new Luka-and-Kobe Bryant mural below, as created by Los Angeles-based artist Arutyun Gozukuchikyan, was inspired by their courtside meeting after an unforgettable game I was privileged to cover in late December 2019. Will never, ever forget that special night; I wrote about it here for The New York Times shortly after Bryant's tragic passing in January 2020.
Since the beginning, the Mavs have been part of our family.
Dad got us season tickets in the 80s, and we watched all the other games on HSE.
Carter, Sonju, Motta. Aguirre, Perkins, Donaldson, Harper, Blackman. Reunion Arena, Moody Madness, ‘88 WCF.
Jason Kidd’s first game.
Dirk’s heartbreaking, then glorious, playoff runs.
When three nephews were born, there were Luka jerseys and birthday cakes with 77 candles. Countless step back threes on the driveway.
We were in the stands for the miracle comeback against the Knicks. And for Luka’s last game on Christmas Day.
Some of us even make a pilgrimage to Ljubljana.
Hopefully, one day, the Mavs ownership will apologize for the damage they’ve done to our family and a million others.
Until then, we’ll be rooting for Luka and the Lakers.
So Hyped for this game, especially coming off the big Denver win...
Hope Max has a strong game and AD gets a HUGE ovation....
Stil, Luka vs Niko will be must-see TV! Got my popcorn ready... 🍿