In the last two years, the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Donsic has made his debut as one of the best players in the NBA.
The Boston Celtics have compared his ability to score goals from three levels, hit the opener at the elite level, manipulate maintenance and impose his will on other teams to the great Larry Bird.
In 2020 and 2021, Donsick made impressive numbers in first-round play-off rates, but this season, he has taken things a step further.
In 10 post-season games so far, he has stolen 31.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.9 in one game, including a game with an upset of 32.6 points in Phoenix Suns’ Dallas upset in the Western Conference semifinals.
Luca Donsich went on to omit Sans in Game Seven! 3 pic.twitter.com/Q2rt5rSTMa
– ESPN UK (PNESPNUK) May 18, 2022
Donsick is now a full-fledged superstar, and it’s time to move on to the next level of his legend.
He can start doing this by leading his team to a series win against the Golden State Warriors and a place in the NBA Finals.
Fighters will be a huge challenge
Beating the Sons is a great achievement for a Mavs team that looks inferior to them on paper.
But for more than one reason, Warriors will be tougher than Phoenix.
For one, Golden State has more legitimate scoring threats than Phoenix.
Stephen Curry is a bigger threat than anyone on the Sun’s roster, as he is a two-time league MVP and the greatest perimeter shooter ever seen in the game.
Too much “how the warriors will manage Luca” and not enough “how the Mavericks will manage Stef”
Very interesting media angle
– Clay Thompson’s Burner (KiKlayThompson) May 17, 2022
Clay Thompson has not fully returned to form after injuries to the ACL and Achilles over the past three years, but he has been there slowly but surely, with his 30-point, eight-rebound, three-block performance vs. Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 of the second round.
First-time all-star Andrew Wiggins could get his own shot, as did Jordan Poole, a man who had 31-point and 27-point performances against Memphis.
Head coach Jason Kidd has made Mavd one of the better defensive teams in the NBA, but his hands will be full with the Warriors in the Western Conference final starting on Wednesday.
On the offensive side, Donsick will not only have to continue the stratospheric numbers, but he will also have to find ways to exploit the weak defenders of the Golden State, especially Carrie.
Donsick needs to improve his team
One thing the Legends do is raise their squad above the sum of their parts and this could be Donsick’s biggest job in the series.
The Warriors are a much more talented team than Mavd on paper, and Donsick needs to not only empower his teammates by getting lots of open shots, but also make them emotionally strong.
Against a team that has won three NBA Championships in recent years, he needs to get and keep them in a winning mind frame, as well as stabilize his team as the Warriors run.
Regardless of what happens to Dallas in the NBA Finals, a Donsick-led series win over favorite Warriors is something that will become a legend in basketball circles.