Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is on pace to become the 10th player in NBA history to average at least 34 points per game in a single season. Through 65 games (all starts) this season, he’s averaging a career-high 34 points per contest on 48.9% shooting from the field and career bests of 38% from 3-point range and 78.2% at the foul line.
Wilt Chamberlain tops the list with an average of 50.4 points per game in the 1961-62 season. Michael Jordan is second with a 37.1 PPG average in 1986-87, followed by James Harden (36.1 PPG in 2018-19), Rick Barry (35.6 PPG in 1966-67), Kobe Bryant (35.4 PPG in 2005-06), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (34.8 PPG in 1971-72), Elgin Baylor (34.8 PPG in 1960-61), Bob McAdoo (34.5 PPG in 1974-75), Tiny Archibald (34 PPG in 1972-73), and Doncic.
According to a few NBA betting sites, Doncic holds third-best odds to win MVP this season. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Luka Dončić is on pace to be the 10th player to average 34+ points per game over a full season.#NBA | #MFFL pic.twitter.com/XHbgtROAnl
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) April 2, 2024
Furthermore, in Dallas’ 115-105 win over the Utah Jazz last Monday, Doncic became the second-fastest NBA player to register 75 career triple-doubles in his 392nd career game.
Oscar Robertson leads the all-time list with just 182 games needed to record 75 triple-doubles. Of course, Jokic trails Doncic for third with 511 games, followed by Magic Johnson (518) and Russell Westbrook (661).
Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic is one of nine players in NBA history to reach 75 triple-doubles
Additionally, Doncic is one of nine players in NBA history to reach 75 triple-doubles. In fact, the five-time All-Star is now one shy of tying Harden (76) for the eighth-most triple-doubles in league history.
At just 25 years and 26 days old, Doncic became the second-youngest player behind Robertson (24 years, 27 days old) to post 75 career triple-doubles in NBA history.
According to Elias Sports, Jokic (27 years, 16 days old) is third, Magic Johnson (27 years, 143 days old) is fourth, and Westbrook (28 years, 137 days old) is fifth.
Luka Dončić deserves MVP.
• Mavs have 7th best NBA record
• 42-23 w/ him, 3-6 w/o him
• 5 of his teammates missed 19+ games
• Avgs 34 PPG 9.8 APG 9.1 RPG 1.5 STL
– Leads Mavs in each stat
• Only player in NBA history to avg 33/8/8
• February and March Player of the Month pic.twitter.com/YwVgJqBRiv— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) April 2, 2024
The six-year veteran also had seven straight 20-point triple-doubles, which tied him with Jordan (1989) and Oscar Robertson (1961) for the longest such streak in NBA history, per ESPN Stats & Information.
Moreover, Doncic will become eligible to sign a five-year, $367 million supermax extension in 2025 after he makes All-NBA First Team this season. He would earn $73.4 million per season on such a deal.
The four-time All-NBA member is currently making $40.04 million this season. This is part of the five-year, $215.16 million contract he signed with Dallas in 2021.
