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Steve RichardsESPN
Three of the NBA’s brightest young stars put on a show Friday night as Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis of the Dallas Mavericks and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans released a series of dazzling numbers.
Doncic scored 46 points and 12 assists, Porzingis scored 36 points and eight triples (both highs of the season) and Williamson scored 36 highs in the 14-for-15 shot, as the Mavericks won 143-130, the his fourth consecutive victory.
Add Brandon Ingram, of the Pelicans, who scored 30, and it was the first time in NBA history that four players 25 and under had 30 or more points in a regular game, according to Elias Sports research. Doncic and Williamson became the second pair of opposing players, each aged 21 or under, to score at least 35 in the same game. Kevin Durant (46 for Thunder) and Eric Gordon (41 for Clippers) did so on January 23, 2009, also according to Elies Sports research.
So dominant
Doncic, who had tied his maximum career with 42 points last Saturday in a showdown with Steph Curry, became the fourth player with 45 points and 10 assists in a game at 21 or so, joining Trae Young, Isiah Thomas and Michael. Jordan, according to Elijah.
“Luka ran where he hit four or five, hard and disputed, at three points,” Williamson said. “There’s no defensive scheme he can do for that. He’s a great player who plays hard shots.”
It was the 13th straight game of 25 consecutive points for Doncic, the third-longest streak for a player 21 years of age or younger in NBA history. Only Durant (29 in 2009-10) and LeBron James (16 in 2006) have had longer streaks at 21 years old.
Doncic is the only player in Mavericks history with 40 points and 10 assists in a game, and has done so eight times (seven regular seasons, one playoff).
Dynamic duo
Doncic and Porzingis teamed up to score or assist on 103 points, and Doncic scored on the eight midfield defenders he faced. Porzingis was four by five (all triples) from Doncic’s passes. Overall, the Mavericks were 12-on-17 away from Doncic’s passes.
“Tonight was one of those games where things clicked for both of them and I find myself open to the 3-point line,” Porzingis said. “It brings energy to both of us and at the same time increases the momentum for both us and the team when we go like this and we go shooting shots and making that extra pass. It just felt easy and natural. Not all games were like that, but I think we are on the right track. “
“They’re both great offensive players. They’re both very unique. They fit in really well,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “His games complement each other very well. The chemistry tonight was tremendous. The balls were delivered on time, at the finish line. People threw themselves at the pace. It was a fantastic thing to see her.”
Doncic, who was born in Slovenia, and Porzingis, from Latvia, became the first teammates born outside the United States to score 35 or more points in a match. His 82 combined points are the second highest in history by a pair of teammates born outside the 50 states and the highest in a regular game, according to Elias Sports research. (Spurs’ Tim Duncan and Tony Parker combined for 85.)
Zion almost perfect
While he lost his shot off the paint, Williamson went 14 for 14 in the paint. The only player with the most missed marks in the paint in a game in the last 25 seasons is Hakeem Olajuwon in 1998.
“Williamson was ridiculous. I mean, it’s amazing what he can do on a basketball court,” Carlisle said.
Williamson joins Derrick Rose as the only players 20 years old or younger who have gone from 10 to 10 or better in the middle of the last 25 seasons. Rose was 10 vs. 10 in the second half on March 18, 2009 at the Thunder.
Williamson is the youngest player in NBA history with a game of at least 30 points at 90% shooting or better, beating Dwight Howard, according to Elias Sports research.
The ugly side
While the fans are amused to see all the numbers, they seem to give nightmares to both coaches as they try to convince the defense of their teams. The Pelicans have allowed 50 triples in their last two games, the most allowed by any team in a two-game period in NBA history. (In addition to the 25 made by the Mavs, New Orleans also gave up 25 long balls against the Bulls on Wednesday).
“We did our best tonight. They scored against everything,” said Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy. “They hit 3 against everything. We changed. We got up to pick. We fell to pick. We played zone. It didn’t matter. Nothing we did had any impact on them. I’m playing a nasty defense. Our defense is ridiculous. “
“The ESPN crowd has received a real delight tonight in terms of entertainment, but it was a pillow fight on defense,” Carlisle said.
This report used material from ESPN NBA journalists Tim MacMahon and Andrew Lopez and ESPN Stats & Information.