Greatness knows itself, said Billy Shakespeare, which is what another authority on the subject meant when LeBron James tweeted that Luka Doncic is “the real deal.”

Suffice to say that a triple-double line of 42/11/12 in the Mavs’ 117-110 win over the Spurs rates any superlative, not the least because LeBron is the only other player to put up a 40-point triple-double before the age of 21.

Other than the historical distinction, then, what are we to make of such gaudy statistics?

First, given the current makeup of the Mavs’ roster, it won’t be the last time this season that Doncic goes off for 40.

And, second, the Mavs need to find their wunderkind more help, before he wears himself to a frazzle.

Doncic works hard for his big numbers. Too hard, sometimes. Which is why coach Rick Carlisle tries to cut back Doncic’s fourth-quarter minutes, so his point guard will still be upright come April.

Dorian Finney-Smith’s 22 points were a nice complement to Doncic’s 42 and the 18 put up by Kristaps Porzingis, still trying to find his footing after a 20-month layoff. But finding a third wheel every game will tax the Mavs’ head coach and Doncic.

On any given night, a number of Mavs have shown themselves capable. They’ve gotten 20-point games from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Delon Wright. Seth Curry, Dwight Powell, Justin Jackson, Maxi Kleber and Jalen Brunson have all scored at least 14 in a game.

The downside of employing third-wheel-by-committee is how do you know which one is the guy any particular night?

Hardaway and Curry seem the best candidates if only because of their offensive potential. Hardaway has instead found himself in a sixth-man role, which probably fits him best. He’s never seen a shot he didn’t like. Meanwhile, Curry might be the least assertive player on the roster.

Bottom line: Hardway has no conscience, and Curry has too much.

The Mavs look like a playoff team, but, under their current construction, it’s going to take everything Doncic can muster to pull them across the line. Might need to average a triple-double to do it. The Mavs will have to decide if they can risk Doncic’s effectiveness come playoff time to get that far, or if they’re better off getting him some help first.