2022-23 NBA MVP odds: Luka Doncic gets MVP boost after historic 60-point triple-double in stunning comeback win vs. Knicks

When the New York Knicks ruled out Jalen Brunson in the former Mavericks guard's first game back in Dallas on Tuesday night since leaving in free agency this summer, this writer backed the Mavs on the moneyline at SportsLine. That wager looked like a loser with Dallas down nine with 33 seconds to go, but thanks to a historic 60-point triple-double from Luka Doncic, the Mavericks won 126-121 in overtime. Doncic's MVP odds got a big boost at BetMGM after the heroic effort.

After New York's Miles McBride hit two free throws with 33.2 seconds left, the Knicks led 112-103. Christian Wood hit a three-pointer with 26.1 seconds to go to cut the deficit to six points. The Knicks' Quentin Grimes then had the ball stolen by Doncic with 21 seconds remining, and Luka was fouled making a two-point jumper with 15.1 seconds to go. That old-fashioned three-point play made the score to 112-109.

McBride made one of two free throws with 11.1 seconds left for a four-point lead, but Spencer Dinwiddie answered with a three-pointer just two seconds later to make it 113-112. McBride added two more free throws with 7.1 seconds to go. Doncic was fouled with four seconds remaining. He made the first free throw but intentionally missed the second. Somehow, the loose ball ended up back in his hands and Doncic made a floater with a second to go and the shocking tie.

"I thought we won the game," Doncic said. "Then I see it's tied. I was like, 'Oof.' I didn't know what to do."

Dallas mostly dominated in OT -- Luka had seven of the team's 11 points -- for one of the most unlikely wins in franchise history. NBA teams had been 0-13,884 in the last 20 seasons when trailing by at least nine points with 35 or fewer seconds remaining.

Doncic finished with a career-high and franchise-record 60 points along with 21 rebounds (career high) and 10 assists, the first 60-20-10 game in NBA history. He tied the record for the highest-scoring triple-double in NBA history (James Harden on Jan. 30, 2018).  For perspective, the most points Wilt Chamberlain ever scored in a game in which he also tallied 20 rebounds was 53 points. It was Doncic's seventh triple-double of the year and the league's highest-scoring performance of the season. Doncic is second in the league in scoring at 33.6 points per game, just barely behind Philadelphia's Joel Embiid (33.7 PPG; +900 for MVP).

Doncic was +600 at BetMGM to win his first MVP Award and is now +330, trailing only Boston's Jayson Tatum (+250). Doncic and the Mavs, who have won four straight, are next in action Thursday at home vs. Houston. Tatum and the Celtics are also next in action Thursday, hosting the Clippers. 

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