Luka DončićMatthew Stockman/Getty Images
In 2006, Dwyane Wade averaged 34.7 points in the Finals. Six years later, Kevin Durant put up 30.6 points in the 2012 Finals. No one else in the NBA’s three-point era averaged 30-plus in a Finals before turning 26.
Well, even with the Boston Celtics boasting this season’s third-best defense, you can count on one more player joining that club.
Luka just turned 25 in February, and he averaged 32.4 against Jaden McDaniels, Rudy Gobert and the league’s best regular-season defense.
Even with the Minnesota Timberwolves’ aggressive and overly physical defense, Luka was able to control possessions in his typically dominant fashion, getting defenders on his back, rising up for jumpers all over the floor, spraying out to shooters when he’s bottled up and producing legendary moments as both a scorer and passer.
In Game 2, he got Gobert backpedaling before drilling a stepback, game-winning three with three seconds left. In Game 3, he put the nail in the coffin with a drive and lefty lob to Daniel Gafford that about brought down the American Airlines Center. In Game 5, he immediately set the tone for what would prove to be the series-clincher by scoring 20 of his 36 in the first quarter.
Luka will continue to dominate against Boston, despite the depth and variety of defenders it can throw his way. The Celtics have tenacious guards in Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, and versatile wings in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
But at this point, it’s fair to say there really isn’t an answer for playoff Luka.
Thursday’s Game 5 win over Minnesota was Dončić’s 45th career playoff game. He has 1,400 points, 425 rebounds and 370 assists in those games. No one else matched or exceeded all three totals in their first 43 playoff games. And you have to drop the qualifiers all the way to 1,100, 300 and 300 just to add LeBron James and Oscar Robertson.
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