“At least second-team All-Defense”: Luka Doncic brushes 50-15 in favor of defensive hustle, spirit

Luka Doncic put up a show for the Dallas Mavericks as he dropped 50 points on the Phoenix Suns in the main game of the NBA's Christmas Day offering, aired over ESPN. What made the feat more unique was that he also dished out 15 assists.

However, when asked by reporters about his monster numbers, Doncic implied that he would rather think more about his defensive gems than his offensive explosion.

In what could be one of the most impressive two-way performances ever in a Christmas Day game, Doncic also put up six rebounds, four steals, and three blocks.

As quoted by ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Luka Doncic said:

“I gotta at least be second-team All-Defense.”

If you think Doncic was joking, MacMahon tweeted that Doncic kept "a straight face" when he said it.

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Is Luka Doncic good for Second Team All-Defense?

Based on Luka Doncic's stats so far this NBA season, there is a chance that he could be considered for an All-Defense team.

His Christmas night "robbery" in Phoenix hiked his average steals to 1.4 a game, which is tied for 15th place in the said department.

Some other prime contenders for All-Defense team consideration are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who leads the league in steals with 2.8 per game, and Victor Wembanyama, who in just his rookie season, is already the league's leader in blocks with 3.0 a night — and yes, he is tied with Doncic in steals at 1.4.

Another rookie, Chet Holmgren, is tied with Walker Kessler for third in the blocks department at 2.7 a game.

Other players who do just fine on the total "stocks," that is combined steals and blocks, are Anthony Davis (3.6 stocks per game), and Joel Embiid (3.2).

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Luka Doncic puts up historic Christmas night explosion

Everyone had their reasons for hyping up Luka Doncic's 50-point blast against the Phoenix Suns on Christmas night.

Doncic tied Rick Barry for the third-most number of points scored on a Christmas Day game, with only Bernard King and Wilt Chamberlain scoring more.

Doncic also breached the 10,000-point mark in the first quarter of his 358th career game, the seventh-fastest to reach the said milestone.

The 24-year-old Slovenian's impressive outing was more than enough for the Mavericks to maul the Suns on the road despite some Phoenix players stepping up.

Grayson Allen fired 32 points, while Chimezie Metu had 23 points and 19 rebounds, and Devin Booker put up 20 markers in a game where Kevin Durant was held to just 16.