Slovenian Luka Doncic, basketball genius, will try to confirm his status as magician of the orange ball starting Thursday in the NBA final, for a best-of-seven-game series which will pit his Dallas Mavericks against the Boston Celtics.
“He was in +Luka Magic+ mode”smiled Dallas coach Jason Kidd, former NBA star, after Doncic’s demonstration during Game 5 of the Western Conference final last Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Untenable from the first seconds of the match, Doncic alone had more points than Minnesota at the end of the first quarter (20 for Doncic, 35 for Dallas, 19 for Minnesota), sinking the Wolves from the first minutes before play out the rest of the game (36 points).
Doncic left his mark on this series and these play-offs with an average of 28.3 points, 9.1 assists and 9.6 rebounds, despite a sprained right knee suffered in Game 3 of the first round.
Since his NBA debut in 2018, this formidable competitor has even posted an average of 31.1 points per game (45 contested) in the play-offs, and is only ahead of the legend Michael Jordan (33.4 points) on this statistic. .
Winning association with Irving
The leader of the Mavericks is often decisive at the end of the game, like on this long-range shot 4 seconds from the siren during Game 2 against Minnesota.
On this occasion, Doncic recalled that he was also a fantastic lodger, a fan of « trash talk » dear to the NBA, he who constantly wears a mask of a mocking brat.
“Asshole, you can’t defend on me”he told Frenchman Rudy Gobert who had tried to stop his victorious shot.
Last Thursday, he once again amused social networks by verbally attacking a supporter in the front rows, sitting very close to rapper Snoop Dogg, after another class action.
The meeting with the Boston public, known to be provocative, promises to be very hot, especially since the supporters of « C’s » should also give a spicy welcome to Kyrie Irving, Doncic’s teammate and former member of the house who left on bad terms in 2019.
The association of the Slovenian and the experienced American leader (32 years old), crowned champion in 2016 with Cleveland and LeBron James, is working wonders this season after having been doubted by several experts when Irving arrived at Dallas last year.
“People will now write that alchemy exists”noted Jason Kidd, himself leader of the Mavericks during their only title in 2011. “We worked for that. It’s a great combination of two players who matter to each other. »
Luka Doncic during match N.4 of the Western Conference final of the NBA playoffs between his Dallas Mavricks and the Minnesota Timberwolves, May 28, 2024 in Dallas. / MATTHEW STOCKMAN / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/Archives
“And they are not initially known for that but they have a little rivalry on who plays the best defense”adds the technician, delighted to see them involved on both sides of the field.
“More energy”
Doncic has been keen to emphasize several times this season how much the defensive aspect of his game has improved. “My team needs it. When my teammates see me doing it, it gives them more energy on the pitch.”he explained in February.
His ability to stand up to agile backs but also heavier interiors is all the more impressive since Doncic, who himself says he’s not very fast, is not known for his athletic qualities in a league populated by physical monsters. .
But the Slovenian has always compensated with his skill, his feints, and his unique understanding of the game, he who has shone on the courts since his youth.
At 25, he seems to have already known several lives: he made his debut in the tough Euroleague at 16, for a title acquired at 19 as a major player for Real Madrid in 2018 (named best player of the final ).
Crowned European champion with Slovenia at 18 (2017), Doncic was drafted in 3rd position in 2018 by Atlanta who sent him directly to Dallas in exchange for Trae Young and a future draft choice.
An agreement that the Mavericks certainly do not regret, who hope to return to the heights with a wave of the wand « Luka Magic ».
