In the aftermath of Luka Doncic’s 60-point explosion against the Miami Heat on Thursday, fans and pundits have tried to put his brilliance into perspective. One analyst pointed out how Doncic has joined an elite list of superstars who have scored 60 points on the second night of a back-to-back.
“This Luka Doncic run keeps getting crazier. 60 on the second night of a back to back is insane,” Kevin O’Connor tweeted.
According to O’Connor, only 12 other players in NBA history have exploded for 60 just 24 hours after competing in another NBA game.
- Of these 12 scoring machines, only two have pulled off this feat multiple times. These are Wilt Chamberlain, who did it on 14 separate instances; and Michael Jordan, who did it twice. Chamberlain and Jordan, of course, are two of the most feared scorers in NBA history.
- Prior to Chamberlain’s time, Minneapolis Lakers legend George Mikan had one instance of scoring 60 on the second night of a back-to-back. Meanwhile, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West (both contemporaries of “The Big Dipper”) were also able to reach this milestone.
- Tom Chambers, who battled Jordan in the 1993 NBA Finals, is on this list as well. Also included are three superstars from the post-Jordan era of the 2000s: Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson, and Tracy McGrady.
- Today’s fans are most familiar with the three other entries on this list: Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, and Luka Doncic’s longtime nemesis Devin Booker.
This is far from the last time that Luka Doncic’s name will be mentioned among the all-time greats in scoring. Critics of the Slovenian star need only look at the historic company that Doncic shares in order to properly appreciate his greatness.
“I Know What It’s Like to Be in That Mode”: Bam Adebayo Comments on Luka Doncic’s 60-Point Explosion Against Heat
As Luka Doncic got bucket after bucket to go, Bam Adebayo tried to figure out ways to help his Heat squad contain the explosion. Ultimately, Miami’s efforts were in vain as Doncic led the Lakers to a 134-126 victory.
After the game, Adebayo gave a bit of a backhanded compliment that referenced his own historic scoring performance last week.
“He hit some tough shots out there. I know what it’s like to be in that mode… As people can see, it’s not easy to get to 80.”
Adebayo finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds on Thursday, and while his double-double performance was commendable, no hardcourt performance in the Heat-Lakers game was going to outshine Doncic’s scoring output.
