The Slovenian, 37, had played himself into contention for the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award during an outstanding March in which he became only the 10th player in history to score 600 points in a single month.

But he will miss the final five regular-season games after suffering a grade two strain of his left hamstring during Thursday’s heavy loss to Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers have not provided a timetable for Doncic’s return after he had a scan on Friday – just two weeks before the start of the NBA play-offs on 18 April.

Doncic is the NBA’s leading scorer this season with 2143 points for an unequalled average of 33.5 points per game.

However, having been sidelined for four games with a left hamstring strain earlier in the season, and missing two games to return to Slovenia for the birth of his daughter in December, Doncic is set to fall short of the minimum games threshold required to qualify for the NBA’s major end-of-season awards.

Doncic, who is one appearance short of the 65 required, will apply for an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge”, according to his agent Bill Duffy.

“This season, Luka Doncic has performed at a historic level, leading the league in scoring, carrying the Lakers to third place in the Western Conference and placing himself in the middle of one of the most tightly contested MVP races in memory,” Duffy told ESPN.

“To ensure Luka’s incredible accomplishments this season are rightly honoured and he can be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards, we intend to apply for an ‘Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge’ to the 65-game rule.”

Doncic was named March’s player of the month following 13 consecutive 30-point performances which helped the Lakers to 13 wins in 14 games prior to the defeat by Thunder.

Rookie Flagg makes history in defeat

Image source: Getty Images

Cooper Flagg became the first teenager in NBA history to reach 50 points in a game – but that was not enough to earn the Dallas Mavericks victory against the Orlando Magic.

Flagg, 19, scored 51 points – including 24 in the fourth quarter – to surpass his previous career high of 49 in January.

But the 138-127 loss brought Dallas’ 14th consecutive home defeat.

“It’s always fun getting into that type of mode,” Flagg said.

“The basket feels big. But I like to win. That was my main focus. It’s hard for me to fully enjoy myself out there when we’re down 20, down 10, down 15, for the majority of the game.”

Doncic, 27, finished with 30 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his eighth triple-double of the season as the Lakers secured their fifth consecutive victory.

The six-time NBA all-star hit a step-back jump shot with 0.5 seconds remaining on the clock to hand his side the victory.

“Just a big-time shot by a generational player,” James said of his team-mate.

“He’s just a big-time player, man. It’s going to be just the first of many game winners like that for him in a Lakers uniform.”

Austin Reaves hit a team-high 32 points, Marcus Smart added 21 points and five steals, while James, 41, contributed 17 points in 40 minutes as the Lakers moved up to third in the Western Conference.

James dived full length on the floor to prevent Denver getting an offensive rebound with 54.3 seconds remaining – a play Lakers coach JJ Redick said he had never previously seen in James’ 23-year professional career.

“I think all of us have heard it from our coaches when we were little: the first man to the floor usually gets the ball,” said James.

“So, that’s just my little league coach kind of in my head at that moment, understanding the significance of it.”

Lakers coach Redick was pleased with his side’s collective performance.

“We still have got a long way to go, but we are certainly optimistic with how we handled this stretch of games,” Redick said.

The Lakers were on a three-game losing streak going into Saturday’s game at the Golden State Warriors but were leading comfortably when Doncic was replaced late in the first quarter.

The Slovenian, 27, tried to avoid a fist bump from Redick as he walked to his seat on the bench, and the Lakers coach then followed Doncic down the sideline.

The pair exchanged words as Doncic took his seat before Redick turned to walk back towards half court.

As he did, Doncic got back to his feet and said more towards Redick while his team-mate Jarred Vanderbilt stood up, ostensibly to clap encouragement for the Lakers but also putting a barrier in front of Doncic, who sat back down moments later.

Speaking before Tuesday’s 110-101 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Redick said: “I don’t know why it went viral. It felt very normal to me.

“I didn’t think much of it at the time, to be honest with you. I don’t think Luka did either.”

Doncic had claimed four points and three assists by that point, and returned on Saturday to finish with a game-high 26 points.

The six-time All-Star scored another game-high 27 points as the Lakers won a third straight game on Tuesday to stay sixth in the Western Conference standings.

“He and I have a great relationship,” Redick added. “I really value our relationship. And I think those things happen. Not every game, but they happen very frequently.

“It’s a competition. And there’s two guys here who, in this case, are trying to win a basketball game and be on the same page about stuff.”

The Western Conference leaders Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Chicago Bulls 116-108 on Tuesday while second-placed San Antonio Spurs thumped the Philadelphia 76ers 131-91.

The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons suffered a 113-109 loss at the Cleveland Cavaliers, for whom Jaylon Tyson scored 22 points and new signing James Harden added 18, while the third-placed New York Knicks took advantage with a 111-95 win at the Toronto Raptors.

James scored 29 points, along with seven rebounds and six assists, and 12 of his tally came in the fourth quarter.

The 76ers had levelled the match at 105 apiece with one minute and 29 seconds remaining before James scored five consecutive points as the Lakers went on to seal the victory.

Doncic had returned to the Lakers line-up having missed the previous two games in a run of three on the road following the birth of his child.

He registered a triple-double of 31 points – which was a game high – 15 rebounds and 11 assists.

“The end of a road trip, there can be a lot of tired legs,” said James, who missed his side’s previous game.

“I felt great. I had the opportunity with some pretty good legs to try to assert myself a little offensively.”

Tyrese Maxey top scored for the 76ers with 28 points as team-mate Joel Embiid, who made just four of 21 shots, added 16 points.

The Lakers are second in the Western Conference, while the Philadelphia 76ers are seventh in the Eastern Conference.

Doncic sank 16 of his points in the first quarter as the home side started strongly and his overall performance also included 12 rebounds and nine assists.

LeBron James added 21 points to the Lakers’ tally as he also registered 11 rebounds, while team-mate Austin Reaves contributed 16 points.

“It was just a question of if we would be more physical or not and I think we showed that,” said Doncic as he helped his side to a 34-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“We were there for 48 minutes. We got up big in the first quarter, we learned from the last game and we just stuck with it.”

Minnesota were not as clinical as in the first game, with Julius Randle scoring 27 points and Anthony Edwards adding 25.

“It seemed like every time I caught the ball, they kind of went into a zone in a sense,” said Edwards.

“It was kind of confusing at times but we’ll watch the film and be ready [for game three].”

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 34 points but his visiting side were beaten 123-115 by the Indiana Pacers and went 2-0 down in their Eastern Conference first-round play-off series.

The Bucks had Damian Lillard back following a five-week absence and he sank a three-pointer in the latter stages of the fourth quarter to help his side reduce a 15-point deficit and draw to within two points of the Pacers at 115-113.

However, Andrew Nembhard, who scored 17 points, responded with a three-pointer for the Pacers as they held on in a game which included a first-quarter scuffle and a number of technical fouls.

“It’s fun,” said Tyrese Haliburton. “This is what everybody lives for. We’re all competitors, so having a lot of fun competing right now.”

Haliburton scored 21 points and added 12 assists, while Pacers team-mate Pascal Siakam added 24 points and 11 rebounds.

Western Conference winners Oklahoma City Thunder went 2-0 up in the first-round play-off series against the Memphis Grizzlies courtesy of a comfortable 118-99 home win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points for the Thunder as team-mates Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren added 24 and 20 points respectively.

Jaren Jackson Jr scored 26 points and Ja Morant added 23 for the Grizzlies but they struggled to trouble their hosts.

The 26-year-old Slovenian, who joined the Lakers in February from the Dallas Mavericks in a huge three-way trade deal, is the first player other than Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry or LeBron James of the Lakers to top the list since the 2012-13 regular season.

The five-time All Star was described as a “one-of-a-kind, young global superstar” by the Lakers when he made his move.

Curry is second on the list, and James third, with Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks rounding out the top five.

The Lakers lead the most popular team merchandise list ahead of the Celtics, Warriors, Knicks and Chicago Bulls with results for both categories based on sales from the NBA store’s official site during the regular season.

Since the sport’s trade deadline on 6 February, jersey sales via the site are up 21% compared to the same period last year, primarily driven by Doncic’s trade.

The Slovenian completed a mid-season trade to the Lakers from the Mavericks in February in one of the most surprising moves in NBA history.

T-shirts with the message “Hvala za vse”, which is Slovenian for “Thank you for everything”, were given to fans in the American Airlines Center in recognition of Doncic’s six and a half seasons in Texas.

Doncic was reduced to tears as the Mavericks played a pre-game video tribute to the 26-year-old, while his every touch was cheered by the home fans during the opening minutes of the contest.

He quickly put sentiment aside, putting up 13 points in the first quarter and 31 by half-time.

He finished with eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in his 38 minutes on court.

“Everybody saw me, the way I reacted to the video,” Doncic told ESPN.

“All these fans, I really appreciate it, man. All the team-mates I had, everybody had my back. I’m just happy.

“I love these fans, I love this city, but it’s time to move on.”

LeBron James, 40, hit 27 points, including 13 in the final quarter.

The win means the Lakers are guaranteed a top-six seed in the Western Conference play-offs, and they can seal the third-seed spot with a win in either of their two remaining matches.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Doncic was mobbed on his return to the Mavericks

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: The Mavericks’ pre-game tribute for Doncic

The Slovenian registered seven rebounds and six assists alongside his 30-point haul as the third-placed Lakers overcame league-leading Thunder.

The Lakers broke a franchise record by scoring 15 three-pointers during the first half to open up a 22-point lead at half-time.

Shooting guard Austin Reaves scored 20 points while LeBron James added 19 of his own as the Lakers moved quickly to secure one of the four remaining automatic play-off spots.

“Between Oklahoma and Cleveland, they’re the best teams in the NBA,” James said.

“Oklahoma are the number one team in the West so you can’t let up no matter what the score is – they’re always going to make a push. That’s why they are where they are at this part of the season.

“So it’s a really good win for us and we can build off it. We’re just trying to build our habits right now, going into the final stretch of the year.”

Anunoby’s 32 points help Knicks beat Suns

Britain’s OG Anunoby hit 32 points as the New York Knicks sealed a comfortable 112-98 win against the Phoenix Suns.

The 27-year-old found the bucket with 13 of his 17 shots, including a 20-point haul in the third quarter that included six three-pointers.

Jalen Brunson returned for the Knicks after missing the last 15 games with an ankle sprain.

The point guard hit 15 points and six assists during his 34 minutes of action.

LaVine shines as Kings stun Cavs

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost for just the 16th time this season as the Sacramento Kings pulled off a surprise 120-113 victory.

Zach LaVine top scored with 37 points for the Kings, including 11 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Ty Jerome hit 20 points for the Cavaliers after missing the last five games with a knee injury while Donovan Mitchell added 19 of his own.

The victory moved the Kings into ninth spot in the Western Conference as they aim for a spot in the play-offs.

Doncic put on a game-high 35 points with team-mate Austin Reaves adding 30, while James scored 27 points with eight assists in a 124-108 win.

The Lakers bounced back from defeat against the Golden State Warriors to further boost their hopes of a top-four finish in the Western Conference.

It is the sixth successive win for the Lakers over the Pelicans, including three victories this season.

Elsewhere, Western Conference leaders the Oklahoma City Thunder, who host the Lakers in back-to-back games on Sunday and Tuesday, saw an 11-game winning streak ended against the Houston Rockets.

Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun combined for 65 points to triumph 125-111 in Houston.

The Boston Celtics set a new record for the number of three-pointers scored in a single season during their 123-103 win over the Phoenix Suns.

Boston, the defending NBA champions, scored 14 at TD Garden to take their overall tally to 1,370, eclipsing the previous record of 1,363 set by the Golden State Warriors in 2022-23.

The 26-year-old Slovenian bagged 21 points in the first quarter alone and went on to reach the 200th 30-point game of his career while also recording nine rebounds and seven assists.

Austin Reaves added 22 points for the Lakers, who were without the injured LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.

The Nuggets, who missed Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray because of injuries, failed to recover after trailing 46-29 at the end of the first quarter and saw the Lakers leapfrog them by moving into third place in the standings.

Doncic, who joined the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks in February, has now scored 30 points or more in eight of his 16 games since the move.

“Like I always say, every day gets better,” Doncic told ESPN after the win.

“That’s three wins in a row now so we’ve got to just keep it going.

“We go game-by-game because if you think too far in the future maybe you forget about the next game. We know the [standings] are tight but we’ve just got to try and win every game.”

The Lakers’ 46-point first quarter was their highest-scoring quarter of the season, while Doncic’s 21 points was his most points in any quarter for the Lakers.

In the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers remain top but fell to a 123-119 loss to the Sacramento Kings – their third straight defeat.

DeMar DeRozan added 27 points for the Kings against the Cavaliers, who had seen their franchise record 16-game winning streak snapped by the Orlando Magic at the weekend.

The guard also recorded six rebounds and nine assists for the Lakers, who have won their past six matches.

Doncic, who joined the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks as part of a three-way trade last month, has scored at least 20 points in four of the past five games.

LeBron James scored 17 points and provided nine assists and rookie Dalton Knecht added 19 points off the bench for the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.

Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 33 points for the Clippers, who have lost five of their past six games.

The win lifted the Lakers up to second in the Western Conference, while the Clippers stay sixth in the final play-off place.

Three players were ejected after a melee in the third quarter as Western Conference leaders the Oklahoma City Thunder won 146-132 at the San Antonio Spurs.

San Antonio’s Julian Champagnie and Thunder’s Kenrich Williams and Luguentz Dort were sent off for their involvement in the incident.

Jalen Williams scored a career-high 41 points for the Thunder, who have won three straight games.

De’Andre Hunter scored 32 points, including a three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining in overtime, as Eastern Conference leaders the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 133-129 at home.

Second-placed the Boston Celtics beat the Denver Nuggets 110-103 at home to claim their first win in three games.

The 25-year-old guard joined the Lakers as part of a three-way trade this month after six seasons at the Mavericks.

Playing against Dallas for the first time since that move, Doncic scored 19 points and made 15 rebounds and 12 assists at Crypto.com Arena.

“In the first quarter, second quarter, I didn’t know what was happening. It was just different. I can’t even explain how I felt,” he told TNT.

“I am just glad we got a win. I can’t wait to go to sleep.”

LeBron James scored 27 points for the Lakers, who are fourth in the Western Conference after a third straight win, while Kyrie Irving scored 35 for the ninth-placed Mavericks.

The Memphis Grizzlies required overtime to beat the Phoenix Suns 151-148 at home.

The Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference and the Suns 11th.

The Cleveland Cavaliers tightened their grip on top spot in the East with a 122-82 win at the Orlando Magic, their 10th successive victory.

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 27 points could not prevent the Milwaukee Bucks from losing 100-97 at the Houston Rockets.

Doncic made just his fourth appearance for the Lakers since his move from Dallas on 2 February and he was in fine form as they produced a statement win over their Western Conference rivals.

Doncic finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while LeBron James was one of four players to get more than 20 points with 25.

“I’m starting to feel a little bit more like myself – that’s why I was smiling the whole game,” Doncic told ESPN.

“There’s still a lot of room for improvement and this is only my fourth game. Chemistry takes time. But you saw today that things are getting better.”

Meanwhile, Nic Claxton’s offensive rebound at the buzzer ensured the Brooklyn Nets edged past the Philadelphia 76ers.

Tyrese Maxey had tied the game with a three-pointer before Brooklyn’s Keon Johnson missed one with two seconds remaining.

However, Claxton caught the rebound and scored as the horn sounded.

The Portland Trail Blazers recorded their biggest winning margin in NBA history as they defeated the Charlotte Hornets 141-88.

Anfernee Simons scored 25 points while Toumani Camara recorded 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Shaedon Sharpe hit 20 points off the bench.

Finally, the Utah Jazz beat the Houston Rockets 124-115 while the Phoenix Suns defeated the Chicago Bulls 121-117.

The fixture, which was rearranged following the wildfires in Los Angeles, was the first game since the All-Star break.

But the rest appeared to do the Lakers little good, as LeBron James and Luka Doncic struggled to gel in their third appearance together since the Slovenian’s trade from Dallas Mavericks.

Miles Bridges top scored for the Hornets with 29 points but it was Ball that proved decisive, scoring a lay-up and two free throws all within the final 15 seconds of the match.

James, who scored 16 of his 26 points in the final quarter, missed twice from three-point range in a bid to tie the match.

Doncic managed 14 points and 11 assists.

It was just the second win in 11 games for the Hornets, who are 14th in the 15-team eastern conference.

The Lakers are fifth in the western conference, on a two-game losing streak.

The five-time NBA All-Star recovered from a calf injury to play for the Lakers for the first time since a spectacular trade which involved him arriving from the Dallas Mavericks and Anthony Davis going the other way.

Doncic got himself on the board with an early three-pointer, which brought loud cheers from the home crowd, and went on to score 14 points as he registered five rebounds and four assists during his 24 minutes on court.

The Slovenian, 25, left the court in the first quarter for treatment to his left calf and, while he returned to play, he left the game late in the third quarter with the Lakers leading 93-69.

“I heard a lot of noise when I was introduced – it was a special moment,” said Doncic after the game.

“The way they received me, it was amazing to see.

“I was a little bit nervous before the game but once I stepped on to the court it was fun. Just being out there again felt amazing.”

Lakers star LeBron James combined well with Doncic and scored a game-high 24 points, registering eight assists and seven rebounds.

The win puts the Lakers fourth in the Western Conference, with the Jazz one place off the bottom in 14th.

Elsewhere, Nikola Jokic notched up 40 points, along with eight assists and seven rebounds, as he helped the Denver Nuggets thrash the Portland Trail Blazers 146-117.

Anthony Edwards scored 44 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves but it was in a losing cause, with his side beaten 128-107 by Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland Cavaliers.

Stephen Curry scored a season-high 38 points for the Golden State Warriors as they won 125-111 at the Milwaukee Bucks.

Curry made six three-pointers, while Jimmy Butler, playing his second game for the Warriors following his trade from the Miami Heat, added 20 points.

Doncic completed a shock trade to the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks last weekend with Anthony Davis, an NBA champion with the Lakers in 2020, moving in the opposite direction to the Slovenian.

Doncic, 25, has been an NBA All-Star for the past five seasons and finished as the league’s top scorer in 2024.

“It’s going to be special,” James said. “We’re gonna attract a lot of eyes.

“Listen, Luka is a big-time player. [He’s] 25-years-old, hasn’t even reached his prime yet, and he’s done some amazing stuff in our league already.

“I’m happy to have him and LA is happy to have him. It’s still a little bit surreal, to be honest.”

James was speaking shortly after the Lakers’ 122-97 win against the LA Clippers on Tuesday night.

James, a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) winner, hit 26 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as the Lakers strolled to victory.

Doncic, who has had a calf injury since December, watched on from the side of the court alongside his new team-mates.

Speaking before the game, Doncic expressed his shock at his move to the Lakers.

“You can imagine how surprised I was,” he said.

“I had to check if it was April 1. I didn’t really believe it.”

The Lakers expect Doncic to make his debut later this month.

Five-time NBA All-Star Doncic was part of a three-way deal involving Lakers’ Anthony Davis and Max Christie, who made the move to Dallas but were unable to play in Sunday’s game at Cleveland.

Sam Merrill came off the bench to score nine three-pointers as Eastern Conference leaders Cavaliers cruised to a comfortable victory.

Evan Mobley scored 22 points with 11 rebounds and Darius Garland finished with 17 points and 10 assists.

Boston Celtics came back from a 26-point, second-half deficit to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-110.

Philadelphia, who were missing Joel Embiid and Paul George through injury, dominated the early stages before defending champions Celtics rallied to outscore the hosts 54-20 in the final 15 minutes.

Jaylen Brown had 21 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for Boston, while Kristaps Porzingis scored 18 points with seven rebounds.

The Celtics, who are second in the Eastern Conference, play the Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons had seven players in double figures, including Cade Cunningham with 22 points, as they defeated the Chicago Bulls 127-119.

RJ Barrett had 20 points and seven assists as the Toronto Raptors secured a 115-108 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.

Doncic scored 14 points in the first quarter to help the Mavericks to a 30-22 lead and they were 65-40 ahead at the break.

The 25-year-old Slovenian scored 25 first-half points, including five three-pointers.

“Today was real fun,” he said. “We were guarding everybody, defending, rebounding, playing with a lot of pace. So that’s fun for me.”

Dallas maintained their momentum in the second half and stretched their advantage to 82-52 on Doncic’s free throw with six minutes and five seconds to play in the third quarter and they led by as many as 33 points during the fourth quarter.

Daniel Gafford scored a season-high 18 points for Dallas while Kyrie Irving added 17 and Dereck Lively II had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

It was a third defeat in a row for Orlando who made just eight of 41 three-point attempts and are currently without All-Star forward Paolo Banchero, who has an abdominal muscle injury and is set to miss at least the next four weeks.

Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons bounced back from a 30-point loss to the New York Knicks on Friday to claim their second victory of the season with a 106-92 success against the Brooklyn Nets.

Star guard Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists and for the first time this season each Pistons starter scored in double figures.

In New Orleans, Jalen Johnson scored 29 points and Trae Young added 23 points, four rebounds, 12 assists and a steal as the Atlanta Hawks won 126-111 to hand the injury-hit Pelicans their first home defeat of the season.

Brandon Ingram led scoring for the Pelicans with a game-high 32 points.

The Slovenian, 25, top-scored with 32 points in a 109-108 victory which gives the Mavericks a commanding lead before games three and four in Texas.

The Mavericks were down by 16 points in the third quarter but Doncic – who also starred in the series opener – helped drag his side back into contention.

The Timberwolves held a two-point lead with 11 seconds remaining when Doncic took possession up against Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

Facing up the 7ft 1in Frenchman, Doncic created space off the dribble before slotting a step-back three-pointer.

Asked about the match-up in his side’s final attacking play, Doncic said: “I can’t move fast, but I can move faster than him.”

The Timberwolves had one final chance to win the game when they found Naz Reid in a shooting position but he missed the basket.

Reid top-scored for his side with 23 points but Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns struggled again – combining for just 36 points.

Games three and four are at the Mavericks’ American Airlines Center on Monday and Wednesday.

Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics are 2-0 up against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The winners of the two series will meet in the NBA Finals – and game one will be broadcast live on BBC One from 01:30 BST on Wednesday, 7 June.

Slovenia’s Doncic top-scored with 33 points, including 15 in the final quarter, as the Mavericks gained first advantage in the best-of-seven series.

Kyrie Irving also scored 30 points for Dallas, with 24 of them coming in the first half in Minneapolis.

“We had to work really hard to get this one,” said Doncic.

“I think we’re known for losing game ones, so we were trying to make a point. But it’s only one and we have three more [wins] to go.”

The two sides exchanged leads multiple times in a see-saw final quarter, as Anthony Edwards’ 24-foot three-pointer gave the Timberwolves a 102-98 advantage with just under four minutes to go.

But eight unanswered points from the Mavericks, including a step-back jump shot from Doncic, put them back in the ascendency before seeing out victory.

Jaden McDaniels led the scoring for the Timberwolves with 24 points, while Edwards added 19.

Game two takes place on Friday in Minneapolis.

The 24-year-old Slovenian broke the Mavericks’ record score of 60 he set against the New York Knicks in 2022.

Only the legendary Wilt Chamberlain (100 and 78) and Kobe Bryant (78) have scored more in 77 years of the NBA.

“It was just exciting. Sometimes I couldn’t believe it,” Doncic said after the Mavericks’ 148-143 victory.

Doncic notched 10 rebounds and seven assists. He connected on 25 of 33 shots from the floor – including eight three-pointers – and made 15 of his 16 free throws.

Chamberlain also had two scores of 73 in 1962 while David Thompson reached the figure in 1978.

Doncic became the 10th player in the NBA to score at least 70 points in a game after Joel Embiid beat the Philadelphia 76ers’ franchise record on Monday.

It is the highest score since Los Angeles Lakers legend Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.

Chamberlain’s century haul came for the Philadelphia Warriors against the New York Knicks in 1962.

Doncic ranked the performance “probably at the top” of his career as the game coincided with the fourth anniversary of Bryant’s death in a helicopter accident.

“We all loved Kobe. It feels special to be in that conversation with those names,” Doncic added.

Doncic’s display helped his side end a run of three straight defeats as Mavericks coach Jason Kidd hailed a “special” performance.

Kidd said: “His ability to make shots, create shots, find open guys, he did that at a high level tonight. I’ve said this before, we can’t take him for granted.

“Sometimes we are a little bit tough on him because of the wins and losses, but what he does on the court is different than anybody else.

“Every night is special. He always does something.”

The Slovenian finished with 40 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, while Kyrie Irving added 29 points for Dallas.

It is the second time in three games that Doncic has reached 40 points and his fourth time overall this season.

Elsewhere, Joel Embiid scored 50 points as the Philadelphia 76ers claimed a narrow win over the Washington Wizards.

The NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) had missed the Sixers’ past two games with illness but hit two free throws and a 15-foot jump shot in the final 50 seconds to secure a 131-126 victory.

Stephen Curry helped the Golden State Warriors rally to a 110-106 victory over the visiting Portland Trail Blazers.

Curry scored 31 points, finishing with a three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining.

Despite making his ninth triple-double of the season, two-time MVP Nikola Jokic was on the losing side as the Los Angeles Clippers inflicted a 111-102 defeat on the Denver Nuggets.

The Chicago Bulls claimed their third straight win as they beat the Charlotte Hornets 111-100, while the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak at home to nine games with a 110-101 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Meanwhile, Mikal Bridges scored with 4.5 seconds left to lift the Brooklyn Nets to a 114-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers claimed a 121-11 victory over the Orlando Magic despite Paolo Banchero’s career-high 42-point performance.

Desmond Bane also recorded a career-high score of 49 points as the Memphis Grizzlies won 116-102 to hand the Detroit Pistons an 18th consecutive loss.

The San Antonio Spurs’ losing run continued with a 102-94 defeat by the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Miami Heat won on the road as they defeated the Toronto Raptors112-103.

The Slovenian hit four straight three-point shots in the final quarter while Kyrie Irving scored 17 in his first game against the Nets since being traded from Brooklyn in February.

Victor Wembanyama secured his first NBA win as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 126-122 in overtime.

The 19-year-old rookie, who is 7ft 4in, scored 21 points and 12 rebounds.

Regarded as one of the game’s biggest prospects, Wembanyama was the NBA’s top draft pick this year.

The Rockets led by seven points after three quarters, but the French teenager levelled the score at 111 with 20 seconds of regular time remaining then added crucial baskets in overtime.

Elsewhere on Friday, Steph Curry’s game-high 41 points inspired the Golden State Warriors to a 122-114 victory against the Sacramento Kings.

Fellow guard De’Aaron Fox scored 39 points for the Kings in their first home game since losing 120-100 to the Warriors in Game 7 of their first-round play-off series last season.

Nikola Jokic led NBA champions the Denver Nuggets to a 108-104 win on the road over the Memphis Grizzlies, contributing 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.

Julius Randle came close to a triple-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists as the New York Knicks held off the Atlanta Hawks to win 126-120.

Meanwhile, all five of the Boston Celtics’ starters scored at least 17 points as they beat Miami Heat in a rematch of the 2023 Eastern Conference finals.

The Chicago Bulls edged the Toronto Raptors 104-103 in overtime, with Alex Caruso bucketing a three-pointer with two seconds remaining.

Donovan Mitchell’s game-high 43 points was not enough for the Cleveland Cavaliers to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won 108-105.

Detroit Pistons claimed their first victory under new coach Monty Williams as they triumphed 111-99 against hosts the Charlotte Hornets.

German brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner scored 23 points and 17 points respectively to help Orlando Magic to a 102-97 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Utah Jazz won 120-118 against the Los Angeles Clippers in Salt Lake City thanks to a game-winning three-pointer from Jordan Clarkson in the final 30 seconds.