Luka Doncic will lead the Mavericks to an OT Victory.

Luka Doncic has 60-21-10 triple-double to rally Mavs to OT win

With one second remaining in regulation, Luka Doncic intentionally missed a free throw, came up with the loose ball, and flipped it into the basket while falling down. He hopped back onto his feet after a quick roll and did an impromptu dance to celebrate, chopping his feet while frantically waving his hands up and down.

When the buzzer sounded a second later, Luka Doncic continued his celebration, putting his fists in the air and bouncing up and down while prancing up the sideline, soaking in the adoration of the sold-out American Airlines Center crowd, which had been worked up into a frenzy by the superstar’s historically sensational triple-double. Tuesday evening

“I thought we won the game,” Luka Doncic said. “Then I see it’s tied. I was like, ‘Oof.’ I didn’t know what to do.”

“Two steals, one block. Jump ball, too,” Luka Doncic then finished with a statistical line never seen in the NBA — 60 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists — to help the Mavericks pull off an unlikely 126-121 comeback win over the New York Knicks.

When questioned about his 60-21-10 line, which shattered Dirk Nowitzki’s franchise record for points in a game and set Doncic’s career high for rebounds, Doncic joked.

Doncic’s 60 points matched James Harden’s 60 points in a Jan. 30, 2018, win over the Orlando Magic for the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history. Only Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain (twice) and Elgin Baylor have grabbed at least 20 rebounds during a 50-point triple-double.

As he approached the locker room following the victory, Doncic was doused by teammates armed with dozens of water bottles.

“To do something that’s never been done before, that’s hard to do,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “There’s been some great players before him. Elgin Baylor and Wilt, he was in that class, and then he separated himself and made his own class.

As much as Doncic’s statistics pop out of the box score, it’s not necessarily shocking that he put up those kind of numbers. He’s only 23 years old, but he already has six career 40-point triple-doubles, tying LeBron James for the fifth most in NBA history. Doncic has scored at least 50 points in two of his past three games, hitting the marker in Friday’s road win over the Rockets.

Doncic’s statistics stand out in the box score, but it’s not surprising that he put up those kinds of figures. He’s only 23 years old, yet he already has six career 40-point triple-doubles, which ties him for fifth most in NBA history with LeBron James. Doncic has now scored at least 50 points in two of his last three games, including a 50-point performance against the Rockets on Friday.

“Guys say all the time that we see it and we know his greatness, but he’s showing up on a whole different level in a whole lot of different ways,” Mavs center Dwight Powell said. “This tonight, there’s not really any way to accurately describe that. It’s hard to believe — 77 is different.”

The most startling stat from the Mavericks’ victory over the Knicks? Dallas became the first team in at least two decades to win despite trailing by nine points or more in the final 35 seconds. According to ESPN Stats & Information, teams in such position had a record of 0-13,884 over the previous 20 years.

“That was really impressive,” said Doncic, who credited big men JaVale McGeeand Christian Wood for battling to create the loose ball that led to his last-second putback. “The whole team just keeps going. Everybody just kept it together. We believed.”

Doncic, the NBA’s seventh player to score at least 50 points in a triple-double, scored or assisted on 85 of the Mavericks’ 126 points. According to Elias Sports Bureau data, he scored the most points in any game of his career.

“I promise I was trying for sure,” said Knicks guard Quentin Grimes, the primary defender on Doncic. “I mean, I’m trying to get over every pick-and-roll. He’s in almost every action. It was a lot on me trying to get over every pick-and-roll with him. He’s crafty with the ball, without the ball. Have to know where he is at all times on the court. He’s one of the top three players in the league for a reason. I have to tip my hat.”

Doncic shot 21-of-31 from the field and 16-of-22 from the foul line. He scored 38 points after halftime as the Mavericks rallied from a 12-point hole to defeat a New York club that was missing point guard Jalen Brunson (hip) and wing RJ Barrett (right index finger laceration) less than two minutes into the game.

“He is monster player,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of Doncic. “There are some plays I thought he made good plays and was aggressive. But you can’t keep fouling a guy and give 22 free throws up.”

Doncic played a season-high 47 minutes in the contest. He took a 12-second break after halftime.

“I’m tired as hell,” Doncic said with a wide smile during the Mavs television broadcast’s on-court interview at the end of the game. “I need a recovery beer.”