Where do we start from?!
Let’s start from the end. With 33.2 seconds left in the Dallas Mavericks-New York Knicks NBA game, Miles McBride hit both of his free throws to give the visitors a nine-point lead, 112-103.
Game over, that’s all, another home defeat for the Texans.
OK, seven seconds later, Dallas center Christian Wood hit a three-pointer, but it’s impossible to close a six-point deficit in 26 seconds, especially with the ball in your opponent’s possession.
Or is it? Luka Doncic stole the ball from Quentin Grimes, passed to Tim Hardaway Junior, but the triple went out of the circle. However, the rebound was from the Slovenian, who sold the jump shot 15.1 seconds before the end of the game. In addition, a fine goal, plus a foul, was included in the penalty awarded, the difference was only three points, 112-109.
New York timeout, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau sensed danger. He has a good nose. The game began with 11.1 seconds left when Doncic was fouled. McBride hit only the second, 113-109, time-out by Dallas. Is there a way to get back from here?
Yes, if Luka is your controller. Doncic played Spencer Dinwiddie, triple in the ring, 113-112, with 9.1 seconds left, another Knicks timeout.
Then Dinwiddie fouls, McBride does both, 115-112, with 7.1 seconds left. Or death?
Dallas arrives, Grimes hits Doncic, this is a good solution, only two penalties follow, and the difference is three points 4.1 seconds from the whistle. Doncic bowled first, then intentionally missed second, in case something happened during the scrum.
It happened. The ball bounced back and forth in the air, finally ending up in the hands of Doncic, who threw it from four meters, from an impossible equilibrium position!
The Slovenian’s reaction is worth watching!
Doncic later revealed that, in his racing frenzy, he thought he had won the match, that’s why he started dancing half mad. He just tied the score though…
So, regulation time was over, 115-115, overtime could come. No longer a fairytale, Doncic scored seven of Dallas’ 11 points, the Mavericks won 126-121, and the home coach finished the game with the following set of stats:
60 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 21/31 from the field, 16/22 from the penalty area.
And then the records.
The personal best of 60 points and 21 rebounds, 60 points is a Mavericks club record, the first triple-double in NBA history since 1946, when someone produced at least 60 points and 20 rebounds. Oh, and 60 points in the 2022-2023 season is an NBA season high.
Dirk Nowitzki, whose statue was unveiled the other day, gnaws at the splinters of the ornamental pavilion and watches the events in disbelief. Not even he was capable of such a thing when he played.
Of course, Doncic had to make a statement after the outbreak. Don’t miss it because it’s fantastic!
“Sixty points, twenty rebounds, triple double…”
“Sixty points?”
“Sixty points, twenty rebounds, nothing like this has ever happened.”
“I’m sorry…I’m completely out of my mind.” I need a life saving beer.
“We’ll fix it…”
Another thing. NBA statisticians have found that over the past two decades, when a team led by at least nine points with up to 35 seconds left before the tip, it has never lost. There were no less than 13,884 such chances, and not once did the team nine points behind draw, let alone win.
NBA teams have been 0-13,884 over the past 20 seasons when trailing by at least nine with 35 or fewer seconds remaining, for @ESPNStatsInfo.
Luka Doncic and the Mavs performed a miracle.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) December 28, 2022
Until now.
(Cover photo: Luka Doncic in action against the New York Knicks on Dec. 27, 2022. Photo: Tim Heitman / Getty Images)
