Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans. (Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)
Luka Doncic was slightly better than Zion Williamson in their divisional rivalry clash on Friday.
Still very early in their NBA careers, the Southwest Division has at least a pair of budding superstars in Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Though neither team has a winning record through the middle of February, we got an instant classic down in Dallas, as Doncic scored a career-high 46 points, lifting his Mavericks to a convincing 143-130 victory.
While Doncic was the star of the show, Williamson was not to be outdone. He had 36 points himself in defeat. Brandon Ingram and Kristaps Porzingis both went over 30 points as well.
Luka Doncic and Zion Williamson may run the Southwest Division for years to come
Doncic was two rebounds shy of a triple-double, notching 12 assists in one of the best games of his career. From an offensive standpoint, Dallas remains one of the best teams to watch. You know that Doncic and company are going to score; there is just nothing you can do to stop it. However, the entire Mavericks team operates as a row of turnstiles defensively. It is killing them.
As for the Pelicans, they are learning how to win under new head coach Stan Van Gundy. It is why neither club projects as a playoff team at this point. While the other young Southwest Division phenom is really coming into his own on the Memphis Grizzlies in Ja Morant, it is still incredibly captivating whenever Doncic meets Williamson on the hardwood for yet another division battle.
Here’s to Doncic going for a 50-burger on someone before the end of the 2020-21 NBA season.