Los Angeles–Luka Doncic had a record-setting 30-point triple double as the Dallas Mavericks held off Zion Williamson’s New Orleans Pelicans 127-123 in overtime on Wednesday.
The score was tied three times in the extra session before Doncic drained a clutch three pointer with 70 seconds left to make it 121-118 in a thrilling matchup that featured two of the league’s brightest young stars in Doncic and Zion Williamson.
Doncic finished with 34 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists, while Pelicans rising star Williamson scored 21 points in 35 minutes of playing time in the first back-to-back games of his NBA career.
But Williamson couldn’t match the heroics of the 21-year-old Doncic, who broke the Mavs’ career triple double record with his 22nd overall. The Slovenian did it in just his 122nd career game.
Doncic also became the youngest player in NBA history to record a game with at least 30 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Doncic sprained his right thumb. He had it checked by team doctors and afterwards said it felt good.
After the game, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry got upset with New Orleans reporters asking whether the 19-year-old Williamson can handle playing back-to-back games.
“He’s fine. We worry about him too fricking much. He’s 19-years old, he’s fine,” Gentry said as he walked away from the media scrum.
“Physically I felt fine,” said Williamson.
Seth Curry added 21 points, Tim Hardaway scored 18 and Delon Wright had 10 for the Mavericks, who improved to 6-3 in the past nine games.
Brandon Ingram scored 27 before fouling out, Lonzo Bell had 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Pelicans, who lost their third straight.
Jrue Holiday had 19 points, Frank Jackson scored 12, and Derrick Favors added 10 points and 14 rebounds in the loss.
Bucks rebound
Elsewhere, reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 29 points and 12 rebounds as the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks captured the season series from Indiana with a 119-100 win over the Pacers.
Khris Middleton scored eight of his 20 points in a third-quarter run that gave them the victory and helped the Bucks rebound from a 105-89 loss to Miami two nights earlier.
“We just tried to get back on track,” Antetokounmpo said. “We didn’t just lose—we played bad against Miami—and I think everybody in this locker room wanted to play ball and just get back on track and get a win.”
TJ Warren had a team-high 18 points for Indiana, which had a four-game winning streak stopped.
Antetokounmpo made all seven of his free throws, as the Bucks sank 20 baskets from the free throw line compared to just nine for the Pacers.
Donte DiVincenzo finished with 19 points, Eric Bledsoe had 16 to go with a team-high seven assists for the Bucks, who have beaten Indiana three times this season and won seven out of their last eight games.
A back-and-forth first half saw the Bucks open the game on a 33-11 run. But the Pacers answered with a run of their own to get within 58-56 at halftime.
Milwaukee used a 26-9 third-quarter surge to turn a one-point game into an 89-71 lead.
Middleton had a pair of three-pointers in the decisive burst. Antetokounmpo, Wesley Matthews and Brook Lopez added one apiece, and Bledsoe chipped in with a three-point play.
The Pacers never made a game of it after that.
The Bucks also outscored Indiana 39-21 on three-pointers while outshooting the Pacers 45.7 percent overall to 43.3 percent.
