Luka Doncic scored more than 50 points for the third time in his past five games to carry the Dallas Mavericks to a 126-125 victory against the San Antonio Spurs on New Year's Eve.

It was the sixth consecutive win for the Mavericks, which has coincided with a scintillating stretch of play from their Slovenian superstar.

Doncic scored 51 points against the Spurs on 18-of-29 shooting, adding nine assists, six rebounds and four steals. It came just four days after Doncic became the first player in NBA history to post a 60-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game in a dramatic comeback against the New York Knicks.

The 23-year-old, who has a Rookie of the Year and three All-NBA First Team selections from his first four seasons, is mounting a charge for his first MVP, and has put together arguably the best five-game stretch of his career.

In his past five games, Doncic is averaging 45.6 points, 11.2 rebounds and 10.2 assists, and in the process he has overtaken Joel Embiid in the race for the scoring title, now at 34.2 points per game for the season.

Christian Wood was strong in a supporting role against the Spurs, scoring 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting. In his eight appearances since finally being injected into the starting line-up, Wood is averaging 19.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks while shooting 50.5 per cent from the field and 38.2 per cent from deep.

The Mavericks are now 21-16 and have jumped up to fourth place in the Western Conference.

Nets make it 11 in a row

The Brooklyn Nets remain the hottest team in the league after rattling off their 11th consecutive win, defeating the Charlotte Hornets 123-106.

Kyrie Irving led the way offensively with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while Kevin Durant was similarly efficient for his 23 points (nine-of-15). Defensively, Nic Claxton was the anchor, blocking six shots while also hitting six of his seven field goal attempts.

After starting the season 1-5, the Nets are now 24-12, and trail only the Boston Celtics (26-10) in the Eastern Conference.

Morant takes bragging rights in 2019 Draft showdown

The New Orleans Pelicans selected Zion Williamson over Ja Morant in the 2019 NBA Draft, and they received a glimpse at what could have been as Morant guided the Memphis Grizzlies to a 116-101 triumph.

Morant scored a game-high 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting, adding eight assists and two steals, while Wiliamson could only muster 20 points on six-of-16 shooting and a career-high nine turnovers.

Having only played in 18 of the Grizzlies' 34 games, Jaren Jackson Jr does not qualify for the official league leaderboards, but his six blocks against the Pelicans raised his average to 3.0, comfortably clear of league-leader Brook Lopez (2.6).

Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle gushed over his two top players after Myles Turner and Tyrese Haliburton helped extend their winning streak to three games.

The Pacers ended the year on a high as they beat the Los Angeles Clippers 131-130 on the road in the opening game on New Year's Eve.

It continued an impressive run of scoring form, putting up 129 points in a victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, before notching 135 points to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

Against the Clippers, Turner proved nearly unstoppable. The man who has led the league in blocks per game on three separate occasions was an offensive force, scoring a team-high 34 points on 11-of-17 shooting, hitting all 10 of his free throws.

He also hit a pair of three-pointers, dished three assists and snatched two steals, and while it was all Turner for the first three quarters, it was the Haliburton show late.

Haliburton reached the fourth quarter with just six points to his name, before exploding for 18 in the final period alone, finishing with 24 points (eight-of-13 shooting), 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals.

In his postgame media appearance, Carlisle spoke about how exciting it is to watch his young stars excel in a playoff type of atmosphere.

"Myles Turner was spectacular in this game," he said. "He didn't get many rebounds, but he neutralised the boards – he kept their big guy off the boards.

"He was clutch all night, he punished them on the inside when they went small, he made big free throws, big and-ones – he played huge in this game.

"Tyrese’s fourth quarter was a monster. 18 [points] in the fourth, made just about every play you could imagine. Really just breathtaking stuff to watch. 

"The building was absolutely alive. Today was another opportunity to play a playoff-caliber game during the regular season. [The Clippers] were loaded up, they had all their guys, and they really came to play. We had to put together a monster game to beat them – and we did."

When asked about Haliburton and his growth into a true team leader since arriving in a trade from the Sacramento Kings, Carlisle compared him to another young playmaker he has coached – Luka Doncic.

"[Haliburton] is a basketball savant-type guy," he said. "People like him, people like Doncic, people like Reggie Miller, they sense when their time is coming.

"He's resourceful, and he finds ways to help our team get the ball in the basket. Sometimes it's not him – sometimes he makes the play that leads to the bucket, or the pass that leads to the pass.

"But his will to win is spectacular for a young player, and he really is grasping everything that there is to grasp about the opportunity that he has here, and the responsibility that he has here.

"It's amazing to watch him continue to grow, grow and grow every single game."

Haliburton himself spoke of the challenge of facing a team that dominated the interior last time they met, and pointed out why Turner is such a mismatch problem for teams who like to play small.

"Last time we played these guys [Ivica] Zubac had a great game – almost 30 and 30," he said. "So as a competitor, and as a competitive team, we wanted to respond the right way.

"We attacked him early, we felt like we were getting after him… he's a tough guy to keep off the glass, but we were able to do that successfully.

"We made them play small, which is to our advantage, because we still feel we can run with a big on the floor because 'MT' runs so well.

"We felt like we dictated pace tonight, and usually when we dictate pace, we win games."

It is the fifth win from the Pacers' past six outings, improving their record to 20-17 to occupy the six seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Clippers (21-17) are sixth in the West.

LeBron James thought he could become "one of the greatest players" in NBA history as a teenager after the Los Angeles Lakers man enjoyed a birthday game to remember.

The superstar forward celebrated his 38th birthday in style with a mammoth 47-point performance to steer his side to a 130-121 comeback win against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

In his 20th season now, James continues to build upon a legacy that already includes four championships, four MVP awards, and two Olympic gold medals, among other accolades.

Reflecting on his time in the NBA, he put himself into the shoes of his younger self and spoke of the ambition he had two decades ago to prove he could thrive in the sport.

"I feel better than [I felt at] 18," James said. "I didn't know what I could become at 18.

"But I just knew if I continued to put in the work, I continued to be true to the game, then I could be one of the greatest players to ever play this game.

"I just always believed that. There are times when I'm on the floor where I do feel like a kid again. That's for sure."

James' dominant performance, which also included 10 rebounds and nine assists at State Farm Arena, continued to showcase his age-defying skills on the court.

He is the third-oldest active player in the NBA right now, behind Udonis Haslem and Andre Iguodala, and he sees no reason why he cannot play on further.

"[I have got to] make sure my mind stays fresh, and my body, more importantly," he added. "As long as I keep my mind fresh, my body will follow."

LeBron James celebrated his 38th birthday with 47 points in a near triple-double as the Los Angeles Lakers downed the Atlanta Hawks 130-121 on Friday.

James scored 47 points on 18-of-27 shooting from the field with 10 rebounds and nine assists, showing the four-time NBA MVP is evergreen.

The 18-time All-Star scored 16 points in both the second and fourth quarters on his way to a season-high points haul.

The Lakers rallied back from a 15-point deficit before getting the edge in a tight fourth quarter, with James' three-pointer giving them a 103-101 lead which they never surrendered.

James iced the game with a pair of free-throws amid chants of "MVP! MVP!" from the State Farm Arena crowd, who appeared to be willing to switch allegiance for the star on his birthday.

Thomas Bryant scored 19 points with a  season-high 17 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook added 14 points and 11 assists off the bench.

Trae Young returned from a calf contusion for the Hawks to top score with 29 points and eight assists, while Dejounte Murray contributed 20 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.

The result improves the Lakers to a 15-21 record, having lost nine of their past 13 games entering the game. The Hawks fell to 17-19 having lost their past three.

Giannis drops another 40-point game

Giannis Antetokounmpo powered an almighty third-quarter comeback from the Milwaukee Bucks, who won 123-114 over the Minnesota Timberwolves, dropping 40 points for the fourth time in six games.

The Bucks trailed 61-50 at half-time, but won the third 39-22 led by Antetokounmpo, who finished the game with 43 points on 14-of-23 shooting with 20 rebounds, five assists and two blocks.

Milwaukee had good contributions off the bench from Bobby Portis with 22 points and 14 rebounds and Joe Ingles with 14 points and 10 assists. Anthony Edwards top scored for the Wolves with 30 points and 10 rebounds.

McCollum hits franchise-record 11 threes

C.J. McCollum scored a franchise-record 11 three-pointers on his way to 42 points as the New Orleans Pelicans downed the Philadelphia 76ers 127-116.

McCollum shot 11-of-16 from beyond the arc in a dazzling display, well supported by Zion Williamson with 36 points on 13-of-19 shooting with five rebounds.

Joel Embiid was strong for the 76ers with 37 points on 14-of-22 shooting with eight rebounds and five assists, while James Harden added 20 points including four triples and 10 assists.

Los Angeles Lakers' All-Star Anthony Davis says the stress injury in his right foot that has sidelined him since mid-December is "healing pretty quickly".

Davis declined to discuss timelines for a return to play for the Lakers, having originally been ruled out "indefinitely", but was upbeat about the progress of the injury when he spoke to reporters prior to Friday's 130-121 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

The 29-year-old power forward had been enjoying a bounce-back season with the Lakers, averaging 27.4 points, with a career-best 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, prior to the injury which has halted his campaign.

"Feeling a lot better, pain has subsided tremendously," Davis said. "I think the next step is [the foot] healing right now. I don't want to use timetables because that's a whole different thing, but it's healing pretty quickly.

"When we get back to LA, we'll do another image of the foot, and see how far it's healed."

Davis said that the injury was identified before it turned into a stress fracture which was a "whole different ballgame", while he added that the pain had significantly subsided.

"I'm just really excited to get back on the floor," Davis said.

"[It] hasn't been a 'Man, it's going to take me X amount of games to get back in rhythm,' or, 'Might not be the same.' That's not even been a thought in my mind. My thought has been, whenever that day is, it's go time."

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham was equally bullish about Davis' progress, which would significantly boost the 15-21 Lakers' playoff hopes, having rebounded from a 2-10 start to the season.

"He's trending in the right direction," Ham said.

"Everything he's being asked to do he's done and continues to do. We all feel comfortable, starting with our medical staff."

New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau would not champion Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley's standout performances in Thursday's loss to the San Antonio Spurs, stressing his focus is on the whole team.

The duo posted 41 and 36 points respectively in their 122-115 defeat at AT&T Center, becoming the first pair of Knicks team-mates to score 35-plus points in the same game since 2008.

Their efforts, however, could not prevent a fifth consecutive loss for their team, whose eight-game win streak earlier this month is now firmly a thing of the past.

Thibodeau refused to be drawn on the standout efforts of his two players afterwards, instead reaffirming his immediate need is to figure out why his side have fallen out of form.

"I don't get wrapped up in the individual, I look at what the team does," he said. "That's the important thing, how you impact the team.

"We didn't play well. Numbers when you don't win don't mean anything to me. They hit us, and it was too little, too late at the end. We've got to figure it out."

With an 18-18 record following their difficult festive run, the Knicks will have a chance to resume a winning advantage when they face off with the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

Thibodeau will hope to drill his side through the basics again before then, suggesting his team posted enough points to win their match before mistakes cost them.

"We scored 115 points, that's enough," he added. "That puts you in a position to win.

"Everyone is capable of playing defense, everyone is capable of rebounding, everyone is capable of taking care of the ball. If we do those things as a team, we can beat anybody."

Luka Doncic is "playing like an MVP", according to his team-mate Christian Wood, after a second successive triple-double inspired the Dallas Mavericks to a 129-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Doncic had scored a franchise-best and NBA season-high 60 points two days earlier as the Mavericks beat the New York Knicks 126-121.

And although he did not hit quite the same heights at the American Airlines Center, the 23-year-old was still the Mavs' inspiration.

He finished with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists, his eighth triple-double of the season, as the Slovenian guard helped the Mavs to a fifth straight win that improves them to 20-16.

Doncic shot 11-of-21 from the field against the Rockets, including four-of-nine from beyond the arc, making nine-of-12 free-throws, with his collective 95 points across the past two games an NBA record in consecutive triple-doubles.

Despite the obvious heroics of Doncic, there has been a particular focus on the collective for the Mavs – though Wood could not resist giving his colleague a little praise.

"We're just playing together," former Rockets forward Wood said.

"If you look at the last game [against the Knicks], we stayed together even though everybody probably thought we were going to lose.

"Today we stayed together, everybody was moving the ball and even the games before that we were piggy-backing off each other, playing off each other and it's really working out.

"Also, Luka's playing like an MVP."

Undoubtedly Doncic's brilliance proved telling once again against the Rockets, but Mavs coach Jason Kidd had previously demanded more support for their talisman.

Only three players scored 15 points or more in the defeat of the Knicks, but this time Doncic was one of five to do so, with Tim Hardaway Jr. (18), Wood (21), Spencer Dinwiddie (15) and Dwight Powell (19) all chipping in.

Understandably, Kidd was pleased by such a reaction.

"I did ask a couple of players that we needed to step up and not wait for Luka, and they responded," Kidd said.

"We talked about it before the game and they understand the time or the stress we put on Luka.

"So, we needed some guys to be able to get some easy baskets and take that stress off of him and they did that tonight."

The NBA has suspended 11 players from the scuffle during Wednesday's Detroit Pistons 121-101 win over the Orlando Magic.

The altercation occurred with 33.2 seconds left in the second quarter when Orlando's Moritz Wagner body checked Detroit guard Killian Hayes off the court and onto the Pistons bench.

The Pistons bench immediately stepped up to remonstrate with Wagner given their proximity before Hayes struck the Magic power forward in the back of the head with his forearm.

Wagner appeared to have been knocked out by the blow but was able to eventually walk away from the skirmish.

Hayes copped the longest suspension, a three-game ban without pay, while Wagner was banned for two games for an "unsportsmanlike act".

Eight Magic players - Cole Anthony, R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield, Franz Wagner, Mo Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. - all received one-game suspensions, having left their bench to join in the altercation. Pistons' shooting guard Hamidou Diallo also was banned for one game for pushing Wagner from behind as the altercation erupted.

Luka Doncic maintained his dynamite form with another triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks improved to 20-16 with a 129-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

Doncic, who scored a franchise-best and season-high 60 points two nights earlier, recorded his eighth triple double of the season, finishing with 35 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists.

The Slovenian guard led the Mavs to their fifth straight win, notching up a second straight triple-double for the second time this season. Doncic's collective 95 points across the past two games is an NBA-record in consecutive triple-doubles.

Doncic shot 11-of-21 from the field, including four-of-nine from beyond the arc, making nine-of-12 free-throws.

Ex-Rockets forward Christian Wood offered good support with 21 points, including five-of-eight three-pointers, six rebounds and four blocks, along with Dwight Powell, who added a season-high 19 points with six rebounds and two blocks off the bench.

The Rockets, who are 10-25 and have lost seven of their past eight games, had few answers as they fell behind 65-51 at half-time with a Doncic 35-foot buzzer beater, with Jalen Green top scoring with 23 points.

Celtics avenge Clippers' blowout

The Boston Celtics avenged their heavy loss to the Los Angeles Clippers three weeks ago with a 116-110 victory led by 29 points each from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The NBA-best Celtics (26-10) had suffered their worst loss of the season at the hands of the Clippers earlier this month, losing 113-93, starting off a run where they lost five of six games.

Tatum had 11 rebounds to go with his 29 points, shooting 10-of-26 from the field, while Kawhi Leonard scored 26 points with eight rebounds for the Clippers.

Hield makes history in Pacers' win

Buddy Hield made history with the fastest three-pointer recorded since play-by-play began in 1996-97 as the Indiana Pacers downed the Cleveland Cavaliers 135-126.

Hield, who leads the league in three-pointers made this season, swished a shot just three seconds into the game. The Pacers made 19-of-31 from beyond the arc for the game, rallying from a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit.

Tyrese Haliburton top scored with 29 points, including six-of-eight three-point shooting, while Hield made six triples in his 25 points. Donovan Mitchell had 28 points and six assists for the Cavs.

Kyrie Irving said stepping up in "winning time" is "all I really know" after he played a big part in the Brooklyn Nets' 108-107 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Irving scored 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter as the Nets extended their winning streak to 10 games at State Farm Arena on Wednesday.

The influential Irving also provided eight assists as Brooklyn recorded the longest run of victories in the NBA this season.

Irving said: "For me specifically, when the fourth quarter hits, it's winning time.

"That's all I really know. When I'm out there with that group to start the fourth, I know KD [Kevin Durant] is resting a little bit, so I just have to raise my aggression level and raise my efficiency up, and I'm grateful to have the trust of my team-mates and coaching staff.'"

Durant weighed in with 26 points and claimed a season-high 16 rebounds as the Nets continued their charge.

"I think the whole second half we were there for each other,'" Durant said. '"We made a couple of adjustments on a couple of guys and we were able to execute that.

"We were able to slow them down just a little bit."

Hawks coach Nate McMillan could not fault his players after they suffered back-to-back defeats to slip to 17-18.

"I saw fight from our guys tonight," McMillan said. "You can live with that. I thought from start to finish we stepped up and played.

"We didn't think about the guys that were out. The guys that were playing came out and played to win."

LeBron James is putting off retirement talk but the Los Angeles Lakers superstar says he will only be happy to continue playing while he is on a team capable of winning NBA titles.

James scored 27 points and claimed nine rebounds and six assists to lead the Lakers against his former team the Miami Heat on Wednesday, yet his efforts proved fruitless in a 112-98 defeat.

The Lakers have lost five of their last six games and are 13th in the Western Conference with a record of 14-21 for the season.

James, who turns 38 on Friday and is tied to the Lakers through to the end of the 2023-24 season, has seemingly been growing increasingly frustrated with the team's form, and that chagrin was evident again in his post-game media briefing.

When asked if he has paid any thought to his retirement plans, James told reporters: "I know as long as my mind stays in it, I can play at this level for a minute.

"Now, that's up to my mind. My body is going to be okay because if my mind is into it, I will make sure my body is taken care of and I'll continue to put in the work.

"I'm a winner and I want to win. And I want to win and give myself a chance to win and still compete for championships.

"That has always been my passion, that has always been my goal since I entered the league as an 18-year-old kid out of Akron, Ohio.

"And I know it takes steps to get there, but once you get there and know how to get there, playing basketball at this level just to be playing basketball is not in my DNA.

"It's not in my DNA anymore. So, we'll see what happens and see how fresh my mind stays.

"I think about how much longer I'm going to play the game. I think about that I don't want to finish my career playing at this level from a team aspect.

"I'll still be able to be compete for championships because I know what I can still bring to any ball club with the right pieces."

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham believes James is doing all he can to propel the team.

"He's a fierce, fierce competitor," Ham said of the four-time NBA champion, who leads the Lakers this season with 27.8 points per game.

"The team, we're having our ups and downs right now. We're on the wrong side of the win-loss column.

"So, he's not going to allow himself to be taken out of the mix. He does as great of a job as I've seen ever of making himself available and being able to produce physically at an extremely high level."

Kyrie Irving scored 15 fourth-quarter points to lift the Brooklyn Nets to their 10th straight win – the longest streak this NBA season – with a 108-107 victory over the short-handed Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

Irving finished with 28 points, headlined by 15 in the final period, making five three-pointers with five rebounds and eight assists, as the Nets held on to their three-point three-quarter time lead.

Kevin Durant added 26 points with a season-high 16 rebounds and eight assists, with center Nic Claxton contributing 17 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high six blocks.

The result means the Nets have achieved their longest win streak since 2005-06, moving closer to their franchise record of 14, from 2003-04 and 2005-06.

Brooklyn improved their record to 23-12, having won 14 of their past five games, closing the gap on the top two in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics (25-10) and the Milwaukee Bucks (22-12).

Irving led a 17-3 fourth-quarter run with eight consecutive points as the Nets pulled clear in the last before the Hawks rallied, only for Dejounte Murray to miss a 27-footer on the buzzer.

Murray finished with 24 points and John Collins added 21 for the Hawks, who were without Trae Young and Clint Capela with calf injuries as well as De'Andre Hunter (ankle).

Butler and Bam lead Heat past Lakers

The Miami Heat dominated on offense and defense, keeping the Los Angeles Lakers to their second lowest score of the season, in a 112-98 victory.

Jimmy Butler (27 points and six steals) and Bam Adebayo (23 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks) combined for 50 of the Heat's 112 points, as they improved to 18-17, with all five starters reaching double figures. Tyler Herro added 18 points, including three triples and nine assists.

LeBron James, playing against his former franchise, scored 27 points with nine rebounds and six assists and Russell Westbrook added 15 points on six-of-16 shooting.

DeRozan downs Giannis in OT

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a monster double-double with 45 points and 22 rebounds but could not prevent the Milwaukee Bucks losing 119-113 to the Chicago Bulls in overtime.

Demar DeRozan stuffed his stat sheet too, with 42 points on 15-of-25 shooting, with 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks. Zach LaVine added 24 points with four three-pointers.

DeRozan made a crucial steal from an Antetokounmpo's inbound with 11.1 seconds of regulation time remaining down 106-104, setting up Ayo Dosunmu's dunk to send it to OT.

Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young will miss Wednesday's clash with the in-form Brooklyn Nets due to a left calf contusion.

Young joins Hawks center Clint Capela (right calf strain) and forward De'Andre Hunter (left ankle sprain) on the sidelines.

The 24-year-old two-time All-Star injured his calf in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's 129-114 defeat to the Indiana Pacers.

The 17-17 Hawks come up against the 22-12 Nets, amid their nine-game winning streak, the best active run in the NBA.

Young is second in the NBA this season for assists, averaging 9.9 per game, while he led the league last season for total points and total assists. The guard is 11th this season with a 27.3 scoring average.

Devin Booker will miss at least four weeks of action after suffering a groin strain.

The Phoenix Suns star pulled up just four minutes into the 128-125 overtime defeat to the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day.

Booker had missed the previous three games with groin soreness, and he appeared to suffer a recurrence early on at Ball Arena before leaving the court.

The Suns confirmed on Wednesday that Booker will miss at least four weeks, at which time he will undergo further evaluation.

The 26-year-old has been in fine form this season, averaging a career-high 27.1 points per game, and he scored 58 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in his previous appearance prior to the brief cameo against the Nuggets.

Booker will have to wait to surpass Steve Nash to claim top spot for franchise three-pointers, needing to add just seven more to his current total of 1,045.

Luka Doncic earned plaudits from the great and the good of the NBA after recording the league's first 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double.

Doncic improbably led the Dallas Mavericks to an overtime win against the New York Knicks on Tuesday, requiring an historic performance to overturn a big late deficit.

The Knicks were up by nine points in the final 35 seconds, but Doncic brought the Mavs back, tying the game with a second to play after sensationally seizing the rebound from his own missed free throw.

In OT, the 23-year-old moved to another level entirely – not just for his career but for the NBA as a whole.

No player had previously had 60 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in the same game; indeed, since Wilt Chamberlain retired in 1973, no player had achieved each of those three statistics in separate games across a single season.

Doncic finished with 60, 21 and 10, prompting Mavs owner Mark Cuban to post on Twitter: "We are watching greatness @luka7doncic. I've never seen anything like that ever."

"The history of the game is written by the players, and it was written again tonight," said coach Jason Kidd.

Kristaps Porzingis, Doncic's former Dallas team-mate, wrote: "60/20/10?? This guy is not normal."

It was not just those with connections to the Mavs who were marvelling at the record-setting Slovenian, however.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau rued coming up against a "monster player", while former MVP Kevin Garnett referenced the recent unveiling of a Dirk Nowitzki statue in Dallas as he said: "It'll be another statue in Dallas... Luka is like that!"

Paul Pierce, Garnett's team-mate on the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets, added: "Luka is the best offensive player in the league. I said offensive. Think about it."

Nets superstar Kevin Durant compared Doncic's display to the sort you might see on NBA 2K: "That was a MyCareer type performance from Luka tonight. Some video game s***."