Despite losing to the San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Mavericks got another solid performance from rookie sensation Luka Doncic, who had 25 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
He now has four straight games with at least 25 points, five boards, and five dimes, and according to Basketball-Reference's Justin Kubatko, only one other rookie in the history of the NBA has accomplished that feat:
Luka Doncic is the first rookie since Michael Jordan to record at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists in four straight games. Doncic and Jordan are the only rookies since the ABA-NBA merger to accomplish the feat (Jordan had two such streaks of five games).
In 44 games for the Mavs, the 19-year-old is putting up 20.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per contest. Should he be able to maintain that stat line until the end of the season he will be the fifth rookie in NBA history to do so, joining Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tyreke Evans.
The pressure to lead the Mavs doesn't seem to be bothering Doncic, who has been playing like a veteran at a young age. His stellar performance this season has led to him becoming the second player in the Western Conference to receive the highest number of fan votes for the upcoming All-Star game.
Competing against the likes of Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Kemba Walker, and Ben Simmons doesn't seem to intimidate him either. The Mavs rookie has always stood his ground against the league's best guards, and while it doesn't result in a lot of wins, it is clear that Doncic will be Dirk Nowitzki's successor as the face of the franchise.
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