DALLAS — Luka Doncic dribbled behind his back and through his legs once.
Then twice.
Again.
And again.
Finally, in isolation against two Toronto Raptors defenders Friday night, the Mavericks superstar picked up his possession, pivoted twice in the high post and unleashed a one-legged fadeaway that arced high and perfectly through the basket.
Consider it the flashiest highlight in a 111-110 Mavericks win full of them.
And further proof that no defense in the NBA can stop Doncic this season — not even the one best suited to corral his heroics.
Double teams and junk defenses? The Raptors tried.
Testing him on defense to the point Doncic drew his second technical foul this season? The Raptors tried that, too.
But Doncic compiled perhaps his most efficient and complete performance of the season Friday in front of the sold-out American Airlines Center crowd, tallying 35 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block in 36 minutes.
He shot 10 of 15 from the floor, 3 of 6 from 3 and 12 of 14 from the foul line to lead the Mavericks’ third consecutive win entering a weekend of rest.
Doncic’s ideal combo.
In shape and rhythm after his Slovenian national team run through EuroBasket in September, Doncic hasn’t thought much about what, in particular, has fueled his unflappable run of dominance through the first eight games this season.
He’s unfazed by leading the NBA in scoring — 36.1 points per game entering Friday night, 2.5 more a night than two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo — and ranking sixth in average assists (9.0).
Now the second player in NBA history to score at least 30 points in the first eight games of a season, joining the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors’ Wilt Chamberlain (eight times in 1959-60 and 23 times in 1962-63), Doncic didn’t have much of a reaction when he learned about his company with an all-time great.
“I always hear Wilt Chamberlain,” Doncic said of past historic stat comparisons. “He’s always there. I don’t know. It’s crazy.”
Particularly crazy, even by Doncic standards, because the Raptors feature a top lineup with all players at a 7-foot wingspan or wider and employ transition-happy, offensive-rebounding-savvy, untraditional strategies under coach Nick Nurse’s guidance.
Doncic had almost every answer.
In the first quarter, he managed a behind-the-back dribble to spin out of a double-team, around a screen from Maxi Kleber and into the paint to kick out to Tim Hardaway Jr. for a corner 3-point assist.
He fought through primary defense from reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes and, on the other end, logged his most active and forceful defensive performance of the season to help seal the Mavericks’ fourth win in seven clutch-time finishes this season.
He unleashed several hockey-style assists with passes to set up assisted baskets — and celebrated when teammates shined.
Like Josh Green, who recorded seven points in his first seven minutes, including a chase down transition steal-turned-thunderous transition dunk, perhaps his best sequence in two-plus NBA seasons.
Like Spencer Dinwiddie, who dished a season-best six assists before halftime, finished with 21 points on the game-sealing free throws and worked as the offensive orchestrator when Doncic drew most attention.
And like Dwight Powell, who replaced JaVale McGee as the starting center as the Mavericks looked to reverse their slide of four consecutive losing first quarters.
They did, leading 31-29 after the first, thanks to Doncic’s 14-point boost.
The disparity and smaller, athletic matchup against Toronto led Mavs coach Jason Kidd to reconsider his commitment to McGee as the starter, a role the Mavericks promised the 34-year-old in their free-agent pitch over the summer.
But not for good.
“DP’s playing extremely well, well-deserved for minutes,” Kidd said. “This could change by the time we play our next game on Monday, so we’ll take one game at a time.”
So will Doncic, as he continues to make history.
