Luka Doncic recently spearheaded a spectacular 124-103 Game 5 win for the Dallas Mavericks against the Minnesota Timberwolves. His heroics aided in the franchise lifting the Western Conference Finals Trophy while ensuring a spot in the NBA Finals. These endeavors excited Eddie Johnson, an NBA veteran, prompting him to openly praise the prowess of the Slovenian talisman.
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During his latest appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Johnson mentioned, “What this dude has done since the beginning of the season up until now is special. That blew me away last night. He totally took their heart. He totally eliminated any mindset the Minnesota Timberwolves had in having a chance to win that game”.
“He totally eliminated any mindset the Timberwolves had of winning that game.”@Jumpshot8 tells @TermineRadio he’s in awe of Luka Dončić’s dominant game 5 performance. pic.twitter.com/mgrEb8UWRy
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 1, 2024
This shed deserved light on the rapid surge of Doncic since the start of the camping. Throughout the regular season, he was pivotal in ensuring the 5th seed for the Mavs, registering 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game [per StatMuse]. His breathtaking performances even turned him into one of the leading candidates for the MVP award, adding volume to his surge in status.
The 2019 ROTY has been able to remarkably carry forward this form to the postseason, deciding the outcome of the clashes. For instance, despite losing Game 4 of the conference finals, the 25-year-old stepped up yet again in the last game. He didn’t allow the pressure to get to his team, recording a double-double of 36 points, 10 assists, and 5 rebounds during this triumph [per StatMuse].
Johnson has all the right reasons to be excited about the growth of Doncic. The latter has one last hurdle to overcome to win over the masses.
Can Luka Doncic repeat history?
Coming into the playoffs, the Mavs were not among the hot favorites to reach the NBA Finals. As a result, it’s fair to say that, by now, they have exceeded all the surrounding expectations. Additionally, they have outplayed their opponents for most of the postseason, registering a 12-5 run.
A lot of this success has been down to the on-court leadership and endeavors of Doncic. In these 17 games, the Mavs guard recorded 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game [per StatMuse] to ensure the franchise’s first-ever NBA Finals qualification in 13 years.
In this upcoming series, they are now set to face the prime contenders for the title, the Boston Celtics. This team has made the headlines throughout the season, outperforming their opponents time and again.
So, fate has paved the way for Doncic to relive the Mavs’ 2011 championship run. That time around, the franchise was also up against a heavyweight in the Miami Heat and their Big 3, before defying the odds and winning the title.
Can Doncic do the same? Well, that’s what we have to wait and watch.
