Luka Doncic has first-half triple-double in Mavs' blowout of Jazz - ESPN

DALLAS — Luka Doncic had 40 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists while playing only three periods and recorded the first first-half triple-double of his career in the Dallas Mavericks' 147-97 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

Doncic had his 60th career triple-double to move past Larry Bird and into sole possession of ninth place overall on the career list.

«Pretty amazing,» said Doncic, who sported a thin headband for the first time only days after becoming a first-time father. «I don't know what to say, honestly. We all know who Larry Bird was, so it's pretty special.»

Doncic shot 14-of-25 from the floor, 6-of-12 on 3-pointers. He played 32 minutes, slightly above his per-game average.

«Luka set the tone with that, knocking down shot after shot after shot… after shot after shot after shot,» Tim Hardaway Jr. said. «I thought he was going to go 50-20-20.»

Doncic went into the final 1:30 of the second quarter with 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. He grabbed a rebound with 1:11 left following a missed free throw by Keyonte George. Twelve seconds later, he lofted a pass inside to Dereck Lively II, whose dunk produced his 10th assist.

With real-time statistics for players on the court displayed on the American Airlines Center video boards, the crowd was following Doncic's progress and erupted in cheers following Lively's dunk. It was the first 25-point first-half triple-double in NBA history.

Doncic admitted he, too, was aware of his numbers in the half's closing minutes.

«I was going for the (assist on the) last field goal,» he said.

It was the Mavericks' highest-scoring game this season and two points short of their highest-scoring game ever in regulation.

Dallas' 52-point lead in the closing minutes