Luka Doncic is first player to score over 30 points in first seven games since Wilt Chamberlain
It had been 60 years since an NBA player started the year with seven straight 30-plus point games. Now it hasn’t even been 60 minutes.
Luka Doncic hit a jumper with four minutes left in the Dallas Mavericks game against the Utah Jazz, giving him another in his string of 30-plus point games to start the season. It’s a feat that’s only been accomplished three times in NBA history – and two of those times were by Wilt Chamberlain.
(Wilt actually accomplished the feat in 1962-63)
No one has scored like this to open an NBA season since 36 years before Luka was born, and 12 years before either of his parents were born. He’s now averaging an even 36 points per game, along with nine assists and 8.8 rebounds. It’s been a strong start.
Wilt the Stilt started the 1962-63 season with 23 straight games of 30+ points, a streak that included games with 73 and 72 points. After scoring only 29 points in the Philadelphia Warriors’ 24th game, Chamberlain responded by scoring 61 and 63 points in his next two games. Wilt also scored 30+ points in the first eight games of the 1959-60 season, which were also his first eight games in the NBA.
Hall of Famer Jack Twyman also started hot in 1959-60, scoring over 30 points in his first seven contests for the Cincinnati Royals. He finished the year averaging 31.2 points and made the fourth of his six All-Star games.
A word of warning for Mavs fans: This kind of scoring explosion doesn’t always translate to wins. Despite Doncic’s heroics, the Mavericks are just 4-3. Wilt’s Warriors won 49 games each of those seasons, but lost to the Celtics in the playoffs both years. And Twyman’s Royals finished the 1959-60 season 19-56.
Luka will keep scoring, though he has a long way to go to match Wilt’s streak of 23 games. For the sake of the Mavericks, it’s probably best if some of his teammates start sharing the scoring load.
Of course, if this is the kind of defense he’ll be facing, maybe Luka can catch Wilt after all.