Luka Doncic scored a career-high 73 points in the Dallas Mavericks' 148-143 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

Doncic, who also finished with 10 rebounds and 7 assists, tied Wilt Chamberlain and David Thompson for the fourth-highest scoring output in league history.

"Those names are special. It's unbelievable," said Doncic after the game.

Doncic finished 25-of-33 from the field and went 8-of-13 from 3. 

"Some say they are a system, he is the game plan. His ability to make shots, create shots, find open guys, he did that at a high level tonight," said Jason Kidd after the game.

Doncic's output represented the 15th 70-point game in league history.

Doncic's previous career-high was 60 points. 

Luka Doncic requested a heckling fan be ejected during the third quarter of the Dallas Mavericks' 132-109 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Dallas was outscored 43-20 in the quarter as Devin Booker scored 22 of his 46 points.

Doncic reacted to the heckler, a Suns fan who wore a Booker "El Valle" jersey while sitting in the second row behind the midcourt press area, late in the third quarter. The man shouted: "Luka, you're tired! Get your ass on the treadmill!"

Doncic stared at the fan for a few seconds then waved toward Mavs vice president of security Brian Kinzig, pointed at the fan and gestured that he wanted him ejected.

Doncic approached Kinzig on the court during the break between quarters, pointed at the fan again and requested for him to be ejected. 

Doncic took umbrage with the reporting of his request for the fan's ejection.

"He was cursing me the whole first half, too," said Doncic.

Asked why he didn't ask for the fan to be ejected during the first half, Doncic said: "Because I never would eject a fan. They paid for tickets, but I had enough. It's a little bit of frustration."

Kyrie Irving is playing at an All-Star level this season with the Dallas Mavericks and there have been an absence off-court issues after several tumultuous seasons with the Brooklyn Nets.

Irving has felt respected and supported by the Mavericks.

"I had to be mature enough to say I got to take accountability for my own actions," Irving told ESPN. "I got to really walk and be the example that I want to see in the world. And that's just being a good person to a lot of people, and not being so hard to reach and not be so isolated to where people can misjudge that as whatever it is. Like, 'Oh, he doesn't talk, or he is not really close with anybody. I don't really know him that well.' So I feel like a lot of people misjudged me. ...

"Dallas gave me a chance to just focus on the main thing, which is being the best basketball player when I stepped foot here, and then off the court still support me."

Irving also has the utmost respect for Luka Doncic.

"He's a winner. I'm a winner," said Irving. "He's a big gamer. I'm a big gamer. We like going against the best. That's where I feel like we connect. ...

"At this point in his career, in my career, particularly talking about me and Luka, it's about how we galvanize the rest of the group. We help each other grow as people, and then the basketball part is the easy part. I needed mentors when I was growing up in the league, so I feel like that's the role I play here, being a very young mentor to Luka [and] to all our guys.

"Because I've seen a lot, I've done a lot. I failed at the highest level, I succeeded at the highest level, and I want to get back to that place."

The Dallas Mavericks have reached out to the Washington Wizards on forward Kyle Kuzma. Dallas has been looking to upgrade their rotation around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

Washington reportedly wants at least two first-round picks in return for Kuzma.

Mark Cuban told a Dallas-area radio show this week that the Mavs are looking for frontcourt help.

"If we can get a big who can also create off the dribble, that’d be a plus," Cuban said on The Ben and Skin show, adding that the player would preferably stand at least 6-foot-8.

Kuzma is in the first year of the four-year, $90 million deal he signed with the Wizards this past offseason. Kuzma is making $25.6 million this season, and his deal descends to $23.5 million, $21.5 million and $19.4 million over the next three seasons.

The Dallas Mavericks have been linked with Pascal Siakam, but sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports that they also have interest in Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Washington and Dorian Finney-Smith.

Wiggins is in Year 1 of a four-year, $109 million extension with the Golden State Warriors. Wiggins has largely struggled since leaving the Warriors last season for personal reasons.

Washington signed a three-year, $48 million extension with the Charlotte Hornets last offseason as a restricted free agent.

The Mavericks traded Finney-Smith to the Brooklyn Nets last season as part of a package for Kyrie Irving. Finney-Smith can become a free agent in 2025.

When Kyrie Irving attended a first round playoff game at Crypto.com Arena between the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies last April, sources tell ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that it was intended to send the message that he had strong interest in reuniting with LeBron James either in Los Angeles or Dallas.

Irving lives in Los Angeles and was set to become a free agent during the 2023 offseason.

The Lakers had held internal discussions since June 2022 on whether to pursue Irving. James was open to the idea of acquiring Irving.

Irving again attended a home playoff game for the Lakers a few weeks later with this one being Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. By that time, it had become clear that Irving would re-sign with the Mavericks and that the Lakers had found a winning formula in a less top-heaving team.

Irving went on to sign a three-year, $126 million contract with the Mavericks. 

"I don't think I blame [the Lakers] for doing what they did," a Western Conference executive told ESPN. "Kyrie hadn't proven he could be stable, like he has been this season. [And] LeBron is simultaneously the most life-giving player to an organization but also the ultimate force-multiplier who totally makes you believe you are better than you are because he just makes everything work."

In an appearance on the Locked On Mavericks podcast, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports discussed the Dallas Mavericks interest in Pascal Siakam. The Mavs are one of the teams rumored to have interest in the Toronto Raptors forward.

Fischer reported that some in Dallas see Siakam as the "missing piece" to being a title contender. Others with the Mavericks fear what it could cost to trade for the Raptors forward and are wary of what happens as Siakam ages.

Siakam has a $37.9 million expiring contract this summer. He's reportedly let it be known that he'll only consider re-signing with certain teams when he's a free agent this coming summer.

Luka Doncic missed the Dallas Mavericks' win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night with an ankle injury.

"He's getting treatment now, and we'll see how that goes. Hopefully it's just day to day," said Jason Kidd.

Doncic also recently missed a game due to soreness in his left quadriceps. 

The Dallas Mavericks are looking to upgrade at the power forward position, according to Marc Stein of Substack.

The Mavs did register interest Pascal Siakam, though Stein adds that their interest is "overstated."

The Mavs have also been linked with a move for Isaiah Stewart.