During the NBA Tuesday slate, the Dallas Mavericks received a Luka Doncic performance for the ages in an improbable come-from-behind victory over the New York Knicks. The Mavericks trailed by nine points with 33 seconds remaining in the game before forcing it into overtime, where they came away with a 126-121 victory.
Doncic forced overtime after securing the rebound off of his free throw miss, which was planned. While hanging in the air, he sunk a shot in one motion, tying the game up. It was just one of the many spectacular plays that he provided, as he finished the game with 60 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists.
He is the first player in NBA history to reach those numbers in what was a historic game. Dallas has now won four games in a row, but if there is any caveat to that performance and this season, it is that it’s clear the Mavericks need to find Doncic more help.
Christian Wood has been very good since being inserted into the starting lineup, but Dallas does not look like a contender as currently constructed. There is only so much that Doncic can do, as he has already looked worn down at times this season and we aren’t even at the midway point yet.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls & Dallas Mavericks Updates
What kind of move could Dallas look to make? If things continue going south for the Chicago Bulls, the Mavericks could be one of the teams that jump into the potential Zach LaVine sweepstakes. As per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon during an appearance on the Lowe Post podcast, LaVine has fans within the Mavericks’ organization.
“I just know that there are fans of him that hold prominent positions within the Mavericks,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Lowe Post podcast. “Again, I’m not sitting here and telling you there’s some great consensus. I think there’s enough fans of him where I wouldn’t totally rule it out.”
LaVine would certainly help compensate for some of the shortcomings on the roster. They failed to replace Jalen Brunson’s ball-handling and scoring and that is a role LaVine could thrive in alongside Doncic as he is more than capable of being the go-to option for stretches of time.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Given his iffy long-term health with a balky knee and his contract, the Mavericks could get into the bidding for him if Chicago views moving him as more of a salary dump instead of asset collection. If they decide to retool, DeMar DeRozan could be looked at as their main attraction for asset collection along with the expiring contract of Nikola Vucevic.
