Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic has 43-point triple-double in Game 4 upset

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic drops 43 in Game 4 win over the LA Clippers

The Dallas Mavericks have been holding their breath since Friday evening. Luka Doncic injured his left ankle in the third quarter and could not finish the game. The Mavs lost, but potentially losing their superstar was worse.

Luka Doncic rehabbed his way back into the lineup for game four. It was a must-win for the Mavericks. They were down two games to one coming in. Losing game four would put them on the brink of elimination against one of the best teams in the NBA. Dallas got some bad news as Kristaps Porzingis was a late scratch with a knee injury.

Doncic did everything in his power on Sunday afternoon. It was an incredible performance from the 21-year-old. He hit the game-winner in overtime to give Dallas the 135-133 win to even the series. Here is a look at Luka’s performance and best plays on Aug. 23.

Luka Doncic goes off in Game 4 as Dallas Mavericks upset the Clippers

It was a bit of a slow start for Luka and the Mavs. The Clippers came out strong and grabbed an early lead. Doncic looked healthy. He was getting into the paint and setting up his teammates. Luka made this lay-in in the first quarter.

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It was not all positive. The Mavericks superstar picked up a technical foul for arguing a call. The Clippers grabbed a ten-point lead at the end of the quarter. Luka had five points, three rebounds, and five assists after playing all 12 minutes.

Doncic was on the bench to start the second quarter. LA’s lead ballooned to 21 before he returned with 8:12 remaining before halftime. Luka led a comeback. He was getting into the paint and creating easy buckets. Here is one of three driving lay-ins from the quarter.

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The Mavs were down by eight at the break. Doncic had 15 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in the first half.

Next: Second half

Luka Doncic leads Dallas Mavericks to victory with incredible second half

Dallas went on an incredible third-quarter run. It was sparked by the 21-year-old superstar. They grabbed the lead for the first time since the opening moments. Doncic secured his second straight triple-double with 4:31 left in the third quarter. He also broke out his beautiful finish.

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Dallas outscored LA 35-19 in the third quarter. They were up by eight heading into the final period. Doncic already had 25 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and one block. He could not be stopped. Coach Carlisle called him a “tough dude” during his on-court interview between the quarters. There are no questions about that.

Doncic rested to start the fourth. The Mavs were up by ten when he returned, but the Clippers were not done. They battled back, and it turned into a heavyweight showdown late in the game. The two teams traded big shots. Doncic and Dallas continued to score, but the Clippers matched them. The 21-year-old was feeling it in the fourth. Here is one of his 3-point makes.

The game went to overtime tied at 121. Luka finished regulation with 36 points, 16 rebounds, 12 assists, two steals, and one block. He was 15 of 26 from the field. It was an absolutely incredible performance from Doncic.

Next: Overtime

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic hits game-winning buzzer-beater

The game went back and forth in overtime too. Kawhi Leonard and Lou Williams did not miss for the Clippers. Trey Burke and Luka answered back for Dallas.

Doncic hit a driving lay-in to put Dallas up by two with 19 seconds remaining in overtime. It gave Luka a 40-point triple-double. The Clippers answered back with a 3-pointer by Marcus Morris to take the lead. Luka sank the game-winning buzzer-beater to give the Mavericks a victory. See the incredible shot below.

Luka made some history. He became the second player to ever record a 30-point triple-double before turning 22. The Mavs superstar hit just the second playoff game-winning buzzer-beater in team history too.

Doncic finished with 43 points, 17 rebounds, 13 assists, two steals, and one block in 46 minutes of action. He was 18 of 31 from the field in an astonishing performance. Fans can see all of Luka’s best plays here.

There should be zero questions about the injury now. Luka Doncic was incredible in game four. He got into the paint and created open looks for the Dallas Mavericks at will. Luka producing back-to-back triple-double while dealing with an ankle injury in his first playoff series is unbelievable. Nothing that the Mavs superstar does should surprise fans anymore.

The Mavericks will play again on Tuesday night. Fans should tune and not miss a second of game five. It promises to be full of excitement.