Luka Doncic delivered yet another standout performance with a triple-double, although for the first time in seven games, he fell short of hitting the 30-point mark. The Dallas Mavericks decisively defeated the Chicago Bulls with a score of 127-92 on Monday night, showcasing their dominance.
Doncic ended the game with 27 points, 14 assists, and 12 rebounds. However, he left the game wth over six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter during the rout, halting his historic run of 30-point triple-doubles at six.
“It’s about winning to him,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of Doncic. “Numbers, I don’t know if they really mean anything to him today. But when he does retire, he’ll look back to see the game that he was playing was at a different level than anybody else.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls Updates
Doncic’s achievement aligns him with basketball legends, tying Michael Jordan (1989) and Oscar Robertson (1961) for the NBA’s longest streak of 20-point triple-doubles at seven consecutive games. Other historical feats included Daniel Gafford, former Bulls center, converting all of his nine field goal attempts, pushing his streak of consecutive made shots to 28. He’s inching closer to the NBA record set by Wilt Chamberlain of 35 consecutive shots made back in 1967.
“My philosophy for sure is just being consistent, having a mindset of just going to finish everything no matter if there’s somebody in front of you or if there isn’t somebody in front of you,” Gafford explained. “At the end of the day, either dunking it or putting it in the rim.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls Updates
The Mavericks set the game’s pace early, outscoring the Bulls by 28 points in the first quarter alone, leading to the Bulls’ most significant defeat of the season. Dereck Lively II and Gafford, combining for 22 and 20 points respectively, achieved a remarkable feat by being the first duo to score 20 or more points each while shooting at least 95% since Nate Robinson and Wilson Chandler‘s performance for New York in 2008.
With a strong offensive strategy, the Mavericks shot approximately 55% from the field, exploiting the pick-and-roll to secure their third consecutive victory after a series of losses. Bulls coach Billy Donovan recognized the defensive challenges his team faced.
“We gave up a lot of rolls to the basket and offensive rebounds,” Donovan said. “We’ve got to be more pulled in than we were. … We kind of were too worried with getting back out to that 3-point line instead of saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to take away the roll.'”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls Updates
The Mavericks showcased their defensive prowess as well, setting season lows for points allowed in both the first quarter and the first half, establishing a commanding 62-42 lead by halftime. Doncic nearly achieved a triple-double by the end of the first half alone, highlighting the game’s uneven nature from the start.
Onuralp Bitim led the Bulls with 17 points, while DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic each contributed 13 points in the losing effort. The Bulls struggled defensively, allowing 60 points in the paint and succumbing to their second consecutive loss.
