Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic Show!

Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic Show! 

The Dallas Mavericks have become the best basketball team in Texas. With the Mavs running the show in the Lonestar state and Luka Doncic is star of the show. When Dirk retired in 2019 the Mavs had the perfect replacement in Luka. He has taken the league hostage. It is difficult to contain him. Teams worry about how to guard him. His game is close to perfect. The Mavericks know this as they paired him with former NBA Champion Kyrie Irving. The back court duo of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic is incredible. It is a work of art watching both players share the court. Nico Harrison has to be one of the best general managers in the league. He has done a great job in surrounding their franchise player with the right talent. Bringing in guys like PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford in the deadline. Mark Cuban has done a good job in establishing a culture in Dallas. Both Harrison and Cuban have been ambitious. They have tried to surround his top 5 player with talented player. A superstar who has dominated since coming the league. The best player in the world is up in the air and Luka will do anything to prove that.

Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the world. He is in the running for the MVP award as he is dropping the best numbers of his career. 34 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, and 9.7 assists per game. That is close to a triple double. This is a legendary stat line, and the fact he isn't a clear-cut MVP shows how talented the league is. When watching Luka Doncic, it makes you think, How the hell can you guard him? The way he finds other players is incredible, and he can score at will. This season, he dropped 72 at ease against the Hawks. It was mind-blowing. What a generational superstar we are witnessing.

It is crazy to think about how dominant the 25-year-old is. Luka's game is incredible. The way he controls the pace of the offense is incredible. It feels like he is in slow motion on offense, but he finishes around the rim so well. His step-back three is awesome. The way he creates space within himself and his defenders is special. The way he uses his body, ball handling, footwork, and strength. A Doncic first-step explosion is something rare. He speeds up, then slows down when he reaches the paint. This makes it hard for defenders to stay in front of him. The signature spin move always confuses the defender. He can either shoot from midrange or finish at the basket. Also, Luka is a talented post player. Luka is James Harden on steroids. He is hard to guard because of his strength, footwork, speed control, size, and ball handling. The way he can pass the pick-and-roll and use his gravity to pass to an open shooter. The superstar is a wizard on the court. And it translated well in the playoffs.

Playoff Luka has been incredible. He debuted against the Clippers in the bubble playoffs. He took the Los Angeles Clippers to seven games. Going up against two future Hall of Famers, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. And then, in the 2021 playoffs, it was the same story. Clippers thought they could take on the Mavs and tanked for the 4th seed. You get what you wished for, as Luka gave them a tough time and once again took them to game seven. Then, in 2022, he established himself as a superstar. He took over the Mavs with solid role players. Making a legendary Western Conference run where he lost to the Warriors in five games. He still made a mark as he averaged monster numbers with 31 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game. Following season, he missed the playoffs, but one thing came out well for him, which was getting a co-star.

The Mavericks brought another star to the organization. The Brooklyn Nets traded Kyrie Irving to Dallas. It was clear that Mark Cuban and Nico Harrison were ambitious. They aimed to pair their franchise player with another star. A lot of fans questioned the move, as we never know what Kyrie's mood is. One day, he wants to be a basketball player. Another day, he talks about going into other ventures. This season, it seems like Kyrie is all in. He loves being the second option to a dominant player. Irving is one of the greatest second-round options ever, as he helped the Cavs win their first title. This season, he is averaging 25.7 points per game, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds. Ky is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league.

Kyrie's game is beautiful. His handles make him so difficult to guard. The way he is able to create space for himself and throw off the opposing player. Irving's layup package is cold as ice. He finds such creative ways of finishing at the rim. Due to how unpredictable Kyrie is it causes problems for the defense. A guard who can go to the hole, shoot a mid range, and shoot a three point shot. He is a perfect star you want next to Luka. As he can also play off the ball. Kyrie is a champion player. But, the issue is his health. Since 2017 he hasn't played much in the playoffs. Missing the 2018 season, 2019 he had an awful showing, 2020 he did not play, and 2021 he got hurt. We have to see if Kyrie has regressed when it comes to playoff basketball or he can still be that guy who hit the shot. Dallas relies heavy on the eight time All-Star to step up in the offs. With Luka and Kyrie as the main ball handler, the Mavs have a good six man in Tim Hardaway Jr.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is a candidate for Six Man of the Year. He is a guy who can handle the ball, create his own shots, and be a spot-up shooter. Hardaway is a perfect off-the-bench player, as he takes pressure off Kyrie and Luka. Also, Tim has a track record of coming through big in the playoffs. Averaging 17 points per game. Being the second-leading scorer for Dallas. The Mavs this mid-season went ahead and brought in another 3&D player to the team.

The Dallas Mavericks had a lot of problems in the locker room. It seemed like the locker room was not happy with Grant Williams as he pissed the franchise player off. Instead of trying to make it work, Harrison made the right move by nipping it in the bud. Making the trade for PJ Washington. Who is a talented defender and could step up big on offense. As in January, he had a crazy 43-point game and seven threes made. Yet, the question is if PJ can come through big in the playoffs. He doesn't have any experience in the postseason and is expecting to fill in big shoes. Washington could be a make-or-break for Dallas, along with their rookie center.

Dereck Lively II has been one of the best rookies this year. Lively is great off the pick-and-roll and can finish around the rim. An active rebounder who can create second-point chances for himself. Dereck has been the perfect guy to put next to Luka, as he doesn't demand the ball. He has great hands, as he can catch any pass thrown at him. Lively II has proven to be a smart player for his age. It will be interesting to see how he plays in the playoffs. whether he will have a developmental hiccup or have an impressive debut. The Mavs have firepower, but their depth is weak.

The Mavs lack scoring off the bench. Outside of Tim Hardaway Jr., there aren't many guys who can take over scoring when others can't hit their shot. Maxi Kleber is a good defender and a guy who can shoot, but he is not taking over games when others cannot figure it out. Donte Exum has brought his career back alive, but he is not having a crazy scoring night anytime soon. Daniel Gafford is a good rim protector and back-up center. Derrick Jones Jr. has shown himself to be a good player, as he dropped 21 points against the 76ers. And the Mavs do not have a strong wing. Josh Green is young, but he isn't a player who can compete with the likes of Kevin Durant. Dallas's weak link is that they are weak players. They better hope that their seven-man rotation can pay off in the postseason.

There are a lot of talented teams in the West this year. From the first seed all the way to the tenth, every team is looking at making the finals. As of right now, Dallas is the eighth seed. With a record of 34 wins and 27 losses, the Mavs cannot afford to lose. They need to do everything in their power to ensure that they avoid playing in the play-in. Jason Kidd's job should be on the line, as there could be a chance they miss the play-offs. Luka Doncic has played like an MVP candidate. He is a true top-five player in the league. It will be fun to see how far Luka leads his team in the post-season. The Luka Doncic show has been nothing but entertaining.

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