Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic leads impressive victory over Sixers

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic struggled with his shot but led a team effort victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 11.

The Dallas Mavericks needed a win on Saturday night. It was a second of a back-to-back set against a tough Philadelphia 76ers team, though. A victory would give the Mavs a split of their six-game homestand and allow them to keep pace in a difficult Western Conference.

They got off to a bit of a slow start scoring just 20 points in the first quarter. The Mavericks won the final three en route to a 109-91 victory on Jan. 11. It was a team effort with six players scoring in double figures.

Luka Doncic once again led the way for Dallas. He finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and 12 assists in 33 minutes of action. Doncic struggled with his shot, though. He hit just four of 15 field goal attempts.

The Mavericks played outstanding defense in the second half. They were all over the court and made life difficult on the Sixers.

Here is a look at some of Luka’s highlights from Saturday’s game.

Play of the day

Josh Richardson is an outstanding defender, but he was no match for Doncic on this play. The Mavs star used his crossover to nearly knock down Richardson. See the incredible highlight here.

https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/1216208178448420866

Fans know Luka has one of the best handles in the NBA. They should not be surprised by any of this.

Highlights

Here is a look at his full highlight video from Saturday’s win.

More than a scorer

Luka Doncic showed an impressive and important trait against the 76ers. His shot was not falling, but that did not stop him from leading the Mavericks to victory. That is what superstars do. They find ways to get to the free throw line (12 attempts on Saturday) and use their playmaking (12 dimes too) to help the team win. Luka is special in that way.

Looking ahead

The Dallas Mavericks begin the week with a back-to-back on Tuesday and Wednesday. They play at Golden State and Sacramento before returning home for two games. The Mavs need to pick up victories as they face a team currently out of playoff position in four of their next five games.

Expect Luka Doncic to get his shooting back on track in their next contest. The 20-year-old will continue leading the Mavs and making incredible things happen.

Keep an eye on the status of Kristaps Porzingis too. It is still possible he returns early this week.

The Smoking Cuban will provide Dallas Mavericks supporters will all things Luka Doncic plus in-depth analysis on the team, so checking back often is recommended.