Luka Doncic first with six straight 30-point triple-doubles،
DETROIT — Luka Doncic became the first NBA player to record six consecutive 30-point triple-doubles as the Dallas Mavericks pulled away in the second half and beat the Detroit Pistons 142-124 on Saturday night.
Doncic finished with 39 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds, eclipsing Russell Westbrook's mark of five straight 30-point triple-doubles. He also extended his own record with a fifth straight triple-double of 35 points.
“It shows the level he’s playing at right now,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “He knows he can score the ball, and he’s also able to find his teammates and finally, he’s able to rebound the ball.”
Kyrie Irving added 21 points for Dallas, which has won two in a row after a three-game losing streak.
Cade Cunningham had 33 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds for the Pistons, who lost 10 of 12. Simone Fontecchio added a career-high 27 points.
The Mavericks led 69-65 at halftime, helped by Doncic's 21 points in the second quarter.
Doncic scored 10 more points in the third and Dallas took a 104-88 lead after Michigan star Tim Hardaway Jr. made three 3-pointers in the final 2:16 of the period – the last, one buzzer-beater.
“It’s huge for us when [Hardaway] can come in and score a 3-pointer like that,” Kidd said. “Not only did he score four, but he had two chances on a four-point play.”
The Mavericks dominated Detroit 7-0 in the first minute of the fourth, extending their lead to 23 points.
The game became disjointed over time. With 9:07 remaining, Stanley Umude was called for a flagrant foul for hitting Hardaway in the head. Then, with 7:03 remaining, Jalen Duren fouled Mavs center Daniel Gafford hard as he drove to the basket on what would have been Doncic's 10th assist. PJ Washington lightly pushed Duren away from Gafford, who was on the ground, and Duren responded with a much stronger push, bringing all 10 players into the fray.
Duren was ejected after receiving a personal foul and two technical fouls. Washington also received a technical response.
“It’s a serious foul, but that’s basketball,” Gafford said. “I don’t blame anyone.”
Doncic collected his 10th assist less than a minute later, throwing an alley-oop to Gafford to give the Mavericks a 25 lead. Doncic pulled away with 3:14 left after grabbing his 10th rebound to clinch the triple-double.
He is the fourth player to have 10 35-point triple-doubles in a season, joining Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Oscar Robertson, according to research from ESPN Stats & Information.
Cunningham matched Doncic fairly evenly in the first half, posting 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Meanwhile, Dallas turned eight Pistons turnovers into 18 points.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
