Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a 144-119 win over the San Antonio Spurs with a 39-point triple-double during Saturday’s NBA action. His performance came after Spurs’ rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama was ruled out due to an ankle sprain sustained during warmups.
Doncic, who also had 12 rebounds and 10 assists, came close to surpassing LeBron James for the third-most 30-point triple-doubles in NBA history. He admired James’ achievements and was grateful for nearing such a milestone.
“We all know who he is, what he’s doing in his 21st year in the NBA, which is unbelievable,” Doncic said. “It means a lot.”
The Spurs, already struggling with a 1-21 record in recent games, faced another setback with Wembanyama’s injury. The 19-year-old, previously sidelined with ankle soreness, stepped on a ball boy’s foot, leading coach Gregg Popovich to err on caution.
“If it were a playoff game, I probably would have played him,” Popovich said. “He’s not happy about it, but I would rather err on the conservative side since it’s the same ankle that he just got a time limitation on.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs Updates
Jeremy Sochan led the Spurs with 23 points and nine rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent their fourth consecutive loss after breaking an 18-game losing streak. Tim Hardaway Jr. contributed 23 points for the Mavericks and Dante Exum added 20.
The Mavericks’ victory broke a three-game losing streak, notable as Doncic and Kyrie Irving were absent in their previous 26-point defeat at Houston. Doncic had been out with a quadriceps strain, and Irving has missed eight games with a heel bruise. Despite these injuries, Dallas has managed to stay competitive.
“We still have some injuries, so we’ve got to still keep it together,” Doncic said. “Everybody’s got to stay together, and next-man-up mentality.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs Updates
Doncic, nearing 10,000 career points in his sixth season, was efficient from the field, including a solid performance from beyond the arc. This game marked his sixth triple-double of the season and a return to form after a recent stat correction denied him a triple-double in a loss to the Clippers.
Looking ahead, the Spurs will host the Utah Jazz, while the Mavericks are set to face the Phoenix Suns, concluding the NBA’s Christmas schedule.
