The Dallas Mavericks had just knotted the Brooklyn Nets, 120-120, with less than 40 seconds remaining when Doncic nailed a hat trick that no one anticipated.
At that moment, the eyes of the crowd were riveted on the ball-playing Mavs star. Doncic had just taken his third consecutive three-point shot, and fans were eager to see if he would be able to lead the Mavs to victory.
Despite being meticulously guarded by Royce O’Neale of Brooklyn, Doncic was able to capitalize on the situation. He caught a return pass from Maxi Kleber and fired a fade-away one-handed three over O’Neil to give the Mavericks a 123-120 lead.
Astonished after witnessing Doncic’s unbelievable shot, the crowd rose to their feet on cue, clapping and cheering for Doncic as he delivered yet another magical moment on the court.
No matter how many angles you watch Luka's wild game-winner from… it's still incomprehensible 🤯 https://t.co/DJiuGN8NIE pic.twitter.com/Pi8eyrLEam
— NBA (@NBA) October 28, 2023
There were multiple cameras on the court to capture the moment, but no matter which angle the cameras were trained on, Doncic’s moment was still a surprise to everyone because of how he executed the shot under heavy pressure.
LUKA MAGIC.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU SAY.4 straight threes… each getting progressively more difficult and more clutch… to reach 49 points and give Dallas the win.
Special stuff from a superstar. pic.twitter.com/4uCvy2Qdfe
— NBA (@NBA) October 28, 2023
In the end, the 24-year-old phenom posted a 49-point, 10-rebound, 7-assist performance, shooting 16-for-25 from the field, including 9-for-14 from three-point range and 8-for-10 from the free throw line, with no turnover, as per CBS Sports. The Mavs also won the game 125-120, taking their second win of the season.
When asked about the remarkable shot he had made in the aftermath of the game, he responded:
“I don’t know [how it went in]. I just saw it was, like, two or three seconds left. I said I just gotta put it up, you know? Gotta touch the rim so we can have a chance of getting the rebound … But yeah, I don’t know how I made that,” per BasketNews.
In addition, Doncic also stated that the shot was the most challenging of his NBA career to date.
Fans’ reactions to Luka’s performance
Doncic’s trick was met with another round of praise and applause from the fans on X, who called Luka “MVP” and praised him for delivering another masterful performance.
One X user said, “Luka is a wizard. He’s got the sauce. No one can stop him. He’s on fire. Dallas is lucky to have him. He’s a phenom. A game-changer. A boss.” While another one added, “If that’s not a MVP by definition, I don’t know what else.”
Finally, one fan likened Doncic to legendary player Larry Bird, writing, “The closest to Larry Bird since Larry Bird himself, just without trash talk and not dominating the game without scoring or having the ball, as Bird did. A charming Slovenian instead of a hard working, ultra competitive hick. Apart from that: getting closer every season.”
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