Prior to the 2024 playoffs, most who follow the NBA were already regarding Luka Doncic as one of the best players in the game today. But many of those same people were also placing pressure on Doncic to lead the Mavericks to the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. Since Doncic has now delivered on that goal, it's important to recognize he's always had it in him.
On Thursday, Dallas dusted itself off from a Game 4 loss and dominated the Timberwolves. In Dallas' series-clinching 124-103 win, Doncic scored 36 and added 10 rebounds and five assists. He was an offensive force, connecting on 14 of 22 shots, including 6 of 10 from three-point range.
Doncic's Game 5 performance also came after he posted a triple-double in the loss on Tuesday. During the Game 4 loss, Doncic scored 28 points with 15 boards and 10 assists. That loss wasn't on him.
The Game 4 loss came as Doncic's running mate Kyrie Irving had his lowest point total since early in the second round. Irving then turned around and threw up 36 of his own on Thursday as the Mavericks won the Western Conference Finals. The point is Doncic has always been clutch and great in the playoffs, but he now has the perfect partner in Irving.
He also did it in historic fashion, becoming only the sixth player in NBA history to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists all the way through to the NBA Finals. To no surprise, Doncic was named the MVP of the Western Conference Finals . He ended the 2024 Western Conference .