Mavericks' Luka Dončić Earns Western Conference Player of the Week for 14th Time
The NBA has named Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić the Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Dec. 2-8. This marks Dončić’s first Player of the Week honor of the season and the 14th of his career, extending his reign as one of the league’s most consistent superstars of this era.
Dončić led the Mavericks to a perfect 3-0 record during the week, averaging 29.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 3.3 steals per game. His contributions helped extend Dallas’ winning streak to seven games, the team’s longest since their 2010-11 championship season.
“It’s fun out there,” Dončić said after Saturday’s win in Toronto. “Just sharing the ball, having fun playing with these guys on the floor. Everybody’s playing relaxed, locked in, [with] high intensity. We just enjoy each other.”
Game-by-Game Brilliance of Luka Dončić
The week began with a thrilling 121-116 comeback victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 3. Dončić posted 37 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and four steals in the win, snapping Memphis’ six-game win streak and ensuring the Mavericks advanced to the NBA Cup Quarterfinals.
Dončić’s dominance continued on Dec. 5 when he tallied his 78th career triple-double in a 137-101 rout of the Washington Wizards. He finished the night with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, tying Wilt Chamberlain and James Harden for seventh place on the NBA’s all-time triple-double list.
“Every NBA team can make a run,” Dončić said. “I think they played very good at home, so it was tough. You know, we kind of relaxed a little bit. But the most important thing, we got the win.”
The week culminated with another masterpiece on Dec. 7 in Toronto, where Dončić recorded 30 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and four steals. The Mavericks defeated the Raptors 125-118, and Dončić surpassed Chamberlain and Harden to claim sole possession of seventh place on the triple-double leaderboard.
“That’s an incredible feat for Luka,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. “When you talk about his skill set filling up the stat sheet, he’s had two (triple-doubles) here, and he can run them off. We always expect him to have a triple-double, and sometimes I think he plans for triple-doubles. But I think right now you can see that he’s starting to get into a groove.”
Rewriting History
Dončić’s triple-double against the Raptors marked his 47th career 30-point triple-double, placing him one behind Russell Westbrook (48) for the second-most in NBA history. He also became the second-fastest player in league history to reach 300 career games with at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Despite the accolades, Dončić focused on the Mavericks’ team success. “We shared the ball, and even when [the Raptors] came back, we stayed together. That was a big thing,” Dončić said.
Dallas’ depth and cohesion have been pivotal to their recent success, with Dončić leading the charge.
“It’s the chemistry, staying together,” Dončić said. “We can easily collapse when they came back, but we stayed together and we got the win. Just keep going like that.”
Historic Company
Dončić’s 14 career Player of the Week awards rank as the most by any Western Conference player since his rookie season in 2019-20. The only player across the league with more during that span is Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has earned 15.
The Slovenian superstar is averaging 28.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.1 assists, and a career-best 1.9 steals this season. He ranks fifth in the NBA in both scoring and steals, highlighting his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor.
“He’s getting everybody involved, he’s rebounding the ball, but also he’s scoring,” Kidd said. “You can see that his shooting is starting to pick up from long range. He’s starting to knock them down.”
As the Mavericks prepare for their NBA Cup Quarterfinal matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dončić’s leadership and dynamic impact remain crucial in keeping Dallas’ momentum alive.
