‘This is incredible!’ Bulls guard Goran Dragic praised compatriot Luka Doncic for recent performances after the Mavericks star posted the NBA’s first 60-20-10 game against the Knicks
Bulls guard Goran Dragic praised his international teammate Luka Doncic for his ‘incredible’ play behind a brilliant week for the Mavericks.
Doncic is averaging 44.3 points over his last four games, including a historic 60-point, 21-rebound, 10-assist outing against the Knicks as he led Dallas to a comeback win in overtime.
It’s a testament to the Slovenian’s current level that his 50-point performance just four days ago was relegated to the background, as Doncic became the first Mavs player to score 60 points and the first player with 60- 20-10 line in the NBA.
Goran Dragic and Luka Doncic have been international teammates with Slovenia since 2017
Doncic scored 60 points in a wild performance for Dallas against the Knicks on Tuesday
And Dragic was excited — but not surprised — to see the 23-year-old excel.
‘I mean it’s incredible to see what he’s doing,’ Dragic said DailyMail.com Friday before the Bulls’ game in Paris on Jan. 19 against the Pistons.
‘For me, this is not new, because I said in 2017 that he will be one of the best players in the world and I meant it. Because I am [had] saw when he was 18, 17, how he reads the game, how he plays the game.
‘I’m so happy for him that he got so much success.’
The 36-year-old Dragic is averaging 8.1 points per game for the Bulls this season off the bench.
NBA veteran Dragic has a long-standing connection with Doncic, who previously played with his father Sasa for Slovenia and met Luka when he was just five years old, according to NBC Sports Chicago.
And since 2017, when the younger Doncic made his senior international debut at the EuroBasket tournament, Dragic has also counted the Mavs star as a teammate.
The pair managed to win the country’s first basketball title last summer, and Dragic indicated on Friday that he will try to earn another medal with Doncic at this year’s FIBA World Cup.
“Playing with him is awesome, makes the game easier,” Dragic said. ‘Everything is focused on him. So it’s a privilege to play alongside him.’
Doncic became the first Mavericks player to score 60 points in a game this week
Doncic’s teammates in Dallas will surely second that assessment – especially of late – as the Mavs have won five straight games and climbed into fifth place in the West.
While Doncic is tied for the league lead in scoring (33.7 points per game), he’s also a great distributor as his 8.9 assists per contest are just three players behind.
In his fourth season last year, Dallas achieved their best postseason finish since 2011 when they reached the conference finals.
Watch Chicago Bulls vs Detroit Pistons in the NBA Paris Game 2023, live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Arena from 19:30 on January 19
