Luka Doncic had a career-high 51 points, including 28 in the first quarter, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-105 on Thursday night.
The 22-year-old Slovenian did not spare with the triples to achieve the most productive period that has been recorded during this season in the NBA.
A few hours earlier, the Mavs traded Kristaps Porzingis to Washington. The European duo made up of Doncic and the Latvian never reached the levels the club expected, in just over two seasons.
Despite Doncic hitting seven of his first nine 3-pointers in the most prolific quarter of his career, the Clippers even got as close as two points in the fourth quarter.
But this only motivated Doncic to reach fifty units.
Los Angeles put up a fight with a better distributed attack. Marcus Morris Sr. had 21 points, Norman Powell scored 19 and Reggie Jackson finished with 18.
Both teams will meet again in Dallas on Saturday.