Chicago Bulls overcome Doncic’s triple double
Garrett Temple scored 17 of his 21 points in the first half as the Bulls snapped a four-game losing streak.
Los Angeles: Lauri Markkanen scored a team high 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Chicago Bulls overcame a historic triple double from Luka Doncic to beat the Dallas Mavericks 117-101 on Sunday.
Garrett Temple scored 17 of his 21 points in the first half as the Bulls snapped a four-game losing streak. The Bulls shot 50 per cent in the first half and led by 19 points at one stage en route to a 67-52 lead heading into the third quarter. Slovenian sensation Doncic finished with 36 points, 16 rebounds ad 15 assists to record his 29th career triple-double to pass Michael Jordan and move into 15th spot on the all-time list.
A frustrated Doncic said the blame for the loss rested squarely on his shoulders because he played selfishly. Doncic shot 11-of-18 from the floor in the first half. He finished with six three pointers.
Doncic became only the fourth player in NBA history to record at least 35 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a game and the youngest to do so. Oscar Robertson did it five times.
Elsewhere, the New York Knicks snapped their five-game NBA losing streak in emphatic style, holding the host Celtics to a season-low total in a 105-75 blowout win. Julius Randle scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and RJ Barrett added 19 points and 11 boards for the Knicks, who spoiled the season debut of Celtics All-Star guard Kemba Walker, absent the first 11 games with a left knee injury.
