DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic’s triple-double streak is over as the focus turns to his tender left hamstring.
Daniel Gafford is staring down Wilt Chamberlain for the best run of consecutive made baskets in NBA history.
Doncic scored 21 points as his triple-double run ended at seven games, Gafford made five baskets to push his streak to 33 in a row and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Golden State Warriors 109-99 on Wednesday night.
The triple-double streak for Doncic was all but over when the NBA scoring leader returned to the game in the fourth quarter. He was gone 22 seconds later, soon ruled out with left hamstring soreness.
Doncic had nine assists and three rebounds. His triple-double run included NBA records of five consecutive with at least 35 points and six in a row with at least 30 points.
Coach Jason Kidd said he wasn’t sure if Doncic would make the trip to Oklahoma City, where the Mavs finish a back-to-back on Thursday night.
“We’ll have a better answer (Thursday),” Kidd said. “This is a fluid thing. This thing is being talked about now.”
All of Gafford’s buckets came on dunks, and he is two short of Chamberlain’s NBA record, set in 1967. The 6-foot-10 center acquired before the trade deadline had a season-high seven blocks.
“I try to tell myself not to worry about it,” Gafford said. “If I do it, that’s good. I’m going to celebrate it, of course. I just want to come out and win games. I’ll worry about the record after for sure.”
The Mavericks took control with an 11-0 run for an 87-72 lead while Doncic was sitting early in the fourth quarter. His return didn’t last long, but the Mavericks continued to pull away without the five-time All-Star.