The Dallas Mavericks had an incredible season, winning 50 games and making it to the NBA Finals. Superstar Luka Doncic made it even more memorable with his MVP-caliber performance, averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game. Despite finishing third in the MVP voting behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, Doncic was still able to lead his club to victory in the Western Conference playoffs.
Doncic has more time to heal from the multiple injuries that hampered him throughout the playoffs now that he is not competing in the Olympics, but it also provides us a chance to review his standout performances from the 2023–24 campaign.
Honorable consideration must go to this ridiculous jumper he made late in the season against the Houston Rockets.
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5. Clinching 20 points in the first quarter of the Western Conference Finals
This match had a similar atmosphere to the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals championship game versus the Phoenix Suns, when Luka Doncic came out swinging and won the game. In the opening quarter of Game 5, he scored 20 points while shooting 8/11 from the field against the Timberwolves. He finished with 36 points to lead the Mavs to their first NBA Finals since 2011.
4. Christmas Day 50 & 15 Against the Suns
Kyrie Irving struggled with injuries during the mid-season, but Doncic had incredible performances, including as this Christmas Day 50-point and 15-assist game against the Phoenix Suns. Doncic is one of just three players with 50 or more points in a Christmas Day game, along with Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, and Bernard King.
3. The Brooklyn Nets lose due to a ridiculous circus shot over a former teammate.
In the last minute of the season’s opening home game, Luka Magic made history by hitting an incredible acrobatic shot over former Maverick Dorian Finney-Smith that turned out to be the game-winner.
2. 73 Points in opposition to the Hawks
Another illustration of Doncic’s genius without Irving came when he shot 25/33 to defeat the Atlanta Hawks and record the most efficient 70-point game in NBA history. The Mavs held on to win 128-123, and they needed every point as well. In this game, he also contributed seven assists and ten rebounds.
1. Wins the game against Rudy Gobert to lead the Western Conference Finals 2-0.
In Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Doncic had the defensive player of the year shaking and trembling as the Slovenian forced the switch onto the big man and stepped back to his right, sinking the Timberwolves. After the shot, he unleashed an epic diatribe on Rudy Gobert, which only served to solidify his psychotic intensity on the court and placed the Mavs in a commanding position to win the West.
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