At the peak of his debut, Doncic's performance in the regular season this season is still phenomenal, leading the league with an average of 33.9 points per game, and although he unfortunately failed to be selected as the MVP of the regular season, he also won the scoring title this season, just like the rhythm of Harden before he reached the top. In addition to scoring, Doncic is averaging 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and 38.7 percent from three-point range. With such a comprehensive set of personal data, coupled with the team's mid-season reinforcements, the Mavericks' performance in the playoffs is naturally remarkable.
Entering the playoffs, Doncic's offensive efficiency has not exploded as in the past, but has seen some fluctuations. He played with a knee injury, but the injury didn't stop him from playing with good numbers, averaging 27.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.4 steals. Despite the drop in shooting percentage and three-point shooting percentage, Doncic still played a central role in the team, giving the Mavericks' offense a basic guarantee.
Especially in the crucial battle of Tianwang Mountain, Doncic contributed a triple-double of 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists with a 55% shooting rate to help the team win the match point. So far, Doncic, who played with an injury, still played the play we expected, with a big triple-double and an efficient offense to help the team win key games.
Doncic has been pretty reliable in key games in the playoffs, averaging 33 points, 8.5 rebounds, 10.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 54.6 percent from the field in two G5 games in the two-round series this season.
That's what he's capable of, and with his extreme desire to win the game and his focus, he has repaid the trust of the fans very well. On the offensive end, he stabilized the basic game for the team, and he could also lead the way on the defensive end, sending out key defenses such as steals and blocks. Doncic's explosiveness in key battles is the core of the Mavericks' ability to go further in the playoffs; When the core superstar does not collapse, the teammates can also be stimulated, and the team's combat effectiveness is naturally endless.
So you will see that even though Doncic's scores, rebounds, assists and other statistics have declined in the playoffs, his presence on the court itself is a deterrent to opponents. Many times as soon as he has the ball and attacks, the opponent will adopt a trap strategy at the top of the arc, and Doncic quickly plays the ball to his teammates who are in the open position, playing an offensive impact comparable to Curry. And with Irving's presence, Doncic no longer has to worry about not being able to convert the ball into a score — choose one of two bottles of poison, which is why opponents are difficult to defend.
Now that the Mavericks have won the semifinals, there is a high probability that they will lead the team to the stage of the Western Conference finals and compete with potential opponents Timberwolves or Nuggets.
If Doncic can fully recover to health, the combination of him and Irving will be even more exciting, and the skill and talent of the two, combined with the consistent play of the rest of the team, will make the Mavericks competitive in the West not to be underestimated. In addition, even though Doncic has a knee injury, he still attends the game as an iron-blooded tough guy, and this spirit naturally captures the hearts of a large number of fans. When top-tier offense and tough-guy attributes are combined, Doncic also really has a chance to lead the team out of the West and attack for the championship.
Has Doncic's defensive performance in the playoffs changed your perception of him? What do you think he needs to improve further in order to better lead the team to the O'Brien Cup in the upcoming tournaments? You are welcome to share your views and insights.