Luka Doncic, fueled by Phoenix Suns' trash talk, leads Dallas Mavericks to first elimination-game win of his career

DALLAS — For the second time in a span of three possessions, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic drove straight down the lane and finished with a two-handed dunk.

The top-seeded Phoenix Suns, trailing by 20 points midway through the third quarter of Thursday's Game 6, called timeout, providing Doncic a chance to extend his post-dunk celebrating beyond the flexing and snarling he did after several baskets in the Mavs' series-evening 113-86 rout at the American Airlines Center. Doncic strutted out to half court, aggressively nodding his head and shouting in the direction of the Suns' bench.

It was a bit of payback after Doncic had to listen to the Suns bark while blowing out the Mavs in Game 5. A series that has been quite chippy despite not featuring any close games will be decided in Sunday's Game 7 back at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.

«I like when people trash talk to me,» Doncic said after his 33-point, 11-rebound, 8-assist, 4-steal performance. «It gets me going. It's fun.»

This marked the first time in the 23-year-old Doncic's NBA career that the Mavs won a game while facing elimination. But Doncic has shined brightly in each of his opportunities on that stage despite losing to the LA Clippers the previous two postseasons, averaging 39 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists in three win-or-go-home games.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Doncic's scoring average is the highest of any player in NBA history for games in which his team is facing elimination.

«Elimination is I guess the word that you guys use, but it's just another game for us on this journey, and our journey is to win a championship,» Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. «Sometimes it ends early, sometimes you're able to play until June. I