Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks ended a six-game losing streak with a 122-116 victory against Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night. Doncic was just two rebounds shy of a triple-double and finished the night with 27 points, 14 assists, and eight rebounds.

It was the first time Doncic and Young met in over two years, continuing to remind us of that 2018 NBA Draft night that will forever connect them. Just in case you forgot: They were traded for one another on draft night. Doncic (No. 3) was traded for Young (No. 5) and a first-round pick (turned out to be Cam Reddish). Thus, sparking the endless “who won the trade” debates or the classic “who’s the better guard” arguments. 

The Mavericks also held a long losing streak against the Hawks heading into Wednesday's game. Atlanta had won seven consecutive games against Dallas at home, with the Mavericks not winning against the Hawks in the ATL since March 2013. 

Doncic and the Mavericks were on the winning side of those debates on Wednesday. They double-teamed Young all night and, without a doubt, flaunted their improvement on defense. Young did not score until the five-minute mark of the second quarter, and he finished with only 21 points and nine assists. The Mavs also managed to open up the floor on offense. Well, for some. 

“It wasn’t perfect, but we got the win, and that’s all that matters to me,” said Luka Doncic.

Not perfect, indeed, yet somehow the Slovenian guard made it look easy and effortless against the Hawks. Yes, even despite 1-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc, dropping him to 29.0% on 3-pointers on nearly seven attempts per game. 

Even so, Doncic controlled the game with his 14 assists, including this smooth behind-the-back pass to Josh Richardson in the first quarter:

His only 3-pointer came from a 26-foot step-back shot to put the Mavs within three at the end of the first half:

“I don’t feel too comfortable shooting 3-pointers, and I have to improve that,” Luka Doncic said postgame. “I’m not just bad; I’m fatal.”

This season has been his most inconsistent from the 3-point line. He shot a terrible 16.1% in his first five games, only making five out of 31 attempts. While his percentage has gone up since that truly dreadful start, it's still not where it needs to be. 

However, thanks to six teammates who scored in double figures and his ability to remain calm in the face of imperfection, Doncic had another dominant night even with his 3-point shot continuing to fail him. 

Kristaps Porzingis finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds as he continues to find his rhythm. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 22 points and five 3-pointers coming off the bench against his former team. Josh Richardson added 14 points. 

Luka Doncic, of course, is much more than just his 3-point percentage. Luka dominated the month of January, averaging 28.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 10.3 assists per game. Add that to his 30-point triple-double average in November 2019, and he's now the third player in NBA history to average 25-10-10 in multiple calendar months, per Elias Sports Bureau.  The only other players to do so are Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. Talk about being in good company.

According to ESPN, Doncic posted his 36th career game with 25 points and 10 assists, third-most in the NBA since his first season behind only James Harden and Trae Young. Yes, that's even more than LeBron James:

“The challenges are going to keep coming. None of this stuff is going to be easy,” said Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle. “This was a much-needed step tonight.”

Indeed, Wednesday's win takes some pressure off of not only the Mavs, but Luka Doncic as well. He has a fresh new slate to focus on his 3-point shot, which will only make him a more daunting threat.