Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic has been named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Conference Finals, winning this year’s Earvin “Magic” Johnson Trophy, the NBA has announced (via Twitter).
Doncic was the unanimous choice, earning all nine media votes for the honor, the league revealed (Twitter link).
The 6’7″ guard just put the finishing touches on a five-game series win over the higher-seeded Timberwolves, scoring 36 points — including 20 in the first quarter — on 14-of-27 shooting from the floor in Thursday’s 124-103 Game 5 blowout victory. For good measure, Doncic logged 10 rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a +22 plus-minus. All-Star backcourt mate Kyrie Irving also finished with 36 points.
With the victory, Dallas advances to its first NBA Finals since 2011, when Doncic was 12 years old and current head coach Jason Kidd was the team’s starting point guard.
Through 17 playoff games so far, Doncic is averaging 28.8 points on a .438/.343/.806 slash line. He’s also chipping in 9.6 rebounds, 8.8 dimes, 1.6 steals and 0.5 blocks a night.
According to The Athletic (via Twitter), Doncic is the first player in the history of the league to rack up 150+ rebounds and assists and 50+ three-point field goals during one playoff run.
Though all but the last of the games vs. Minnesota were fairly close, Doncic and Irving’s clutch play, both as isolation scorers and as tactical distributors, helped Dallas pull away late in every instance except the Game 4 loss.
At 50-32, Dallas entered the West playoffs as the No. 5 seed, meaning it was an underdog, without home court advantage, in each of its three postseason matchups. That made little difference, as the club took care of the No. 4 Clippers and the No. 1 Thunder in six games apiece, across successive rounds, before moving on to handle Minnesota in the Western Finals.
Yall were rly on here saying mavs wouldn’t even make the playoffs this season
Nico Harrison was a big part of the change for that. Did a great job at the trading deadline. Actually the entire team did a great job meshing and fitting together towards this goal of the finals. Definitely a tip of the cap to the mavericks.
Nobody was saying that. Literally no one thinks anything about the Mavs. The most discourse on here has been trying to figure out what steroids the PED horse their logo is uses.
It was probably because they weren’t playing well.
That stopped when they did start playing well.
Confusing, I know.
Everyone just assumed Kyrie would implode, which was silly. Because if he didn’t, there was always a very good chance the Mavs would be a playoff team. And the fact that he and Luka have meshed well is hardly shocking. Folks just can’t help but running with the narratives they want to see happen.
Then the solid deadline deals put them over the top.
Most media is going to pick Celtics because of their team former wins but I wouldn’t rule out Mavs. Their defense improved a real lot this year.
I think it’s going to be a great series.
I mean, you said the Knicks would have won if healthy, so that isn’t a surprise.
No reason at all to rule out Dallas though, they’re a very good team.
Without Warriors, Mavs might win the championship two years ago
They had Brunson
Mavs better without Brunson getting Kyrie. Knicks are better with Brunson.
And if your aunt had balls she’d be your uncle
Mavs in 5.
That trade deadline was great for the Mavs…
But Luka really has gone to another level…
That said… Celtics in 6…
Truly deserved & a nice set up for winning the finals MVP in a couple of weeks!!!
Grant Williams gets his ring!
Mavs trade deadline deals made the difference. Knicks made some moves but possibly the wrong ones at the deadline. PJ would have looked better replacing Randle instead of Bojan. Knicks refusing to give up at least one pick hurt them. Keeping all those picks for a SuperStar that will never come. Booker, Mikal, Zion, etc not coming.
They can say no
You cant say no to grant williams…
Mavs have the 2 best players in the Finals right? Mavs in 6.
Mavs Scoring guards now go against 2nd team all defense and Celtics send two All Star wings are less. KP will be highly motivated too.
Again who cares. Finals MVP is the award that matters
No, championship is the award that matters. It’s a team sport. Those who chase individual accolades are doomed to end up alone…
Celtics have been good since Tatum and Brown were rookies. Time and time again they choked.
All the pressure on Boston now. I hope they lose let’s go Mavs!!!