Can Luka Doncic continue with this historic run?
Only two people in NBA history have an eight-game 30-point streak to begin the season. One was Wilt Chamberlain, and the other is now Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic. The Slovenian superstar has made history and continues to leave the rest of the league in awe as he paces toward an MVP award.
Can Luka continue to lead his team to wins and potentially keep this legendary streak going? Or will he slow down because leading to more losses for the Mavericks?
Why is Luka Doncic off to a hot start?
This past offseason Luka Doncic played for his home country Slovenia this past summer. Doncic played great until the last game, where he played great in their first game against Germany but
struggled with Poland, only having 14 Pts, when he should have taken control of the game.
Luka Doncic on Slovania’s loss against Poland in the Euro Cup,
"“But that’s not the reason,” Doncic said. “Today, I played terribly. I let my team down. I let the whole country that was supporting us down. I’ve got to look at this game and be better.”"
In the past Doncic was criticized for going into the NBA season overweight and sloppy, having to play himself into shape. However, this was the first time he has played throughout the summer and improved his atheism since last year’s NBA season.
Doncic looks incredible, and his eight-game streak is incredible. He has been the entire offense for the Mavs. Players like Christian Wood and Spencer Dinwiddie have helped, but Doncic is always the primary scorer and takes over when needed. Doncic is averaging 36 points, about 8.8 rebounds, and nearly nine assists a night.
Luka Doncic is well on his way to an MVP Trophy if he can continue playing at this pace. Giannis Antetokounmpo is his only competition at his point of the season. At 23 years old, Doncic is on pace to become one of the best players of all time with his undeniable talent.
Can the Mavs continue to win with Luka carrying them?
The Dallas Mavericks are currently 5-3 on the season. The Mavericks are sixth in the western conference, on the edge of a playoff spot. It has been an impressive season for the Mavs. Still, this success might not continue with so much pressure on his shoulders being such a significant success, with potential fatigue coming later in the season.
The NBA season is long, and the Mavericks lost their secondary scorer from last season to the New York Knicks. Brunson had a massive impact on the Mavs last season, averaging 16.3 points, five assists, and four rebounds per game. Brunson had some phenomenal games with the Mavericks with, really blossoming near the end of the season and being a significant reason for the success of the Mavericks.
The Mavs ranked 10th in points a game but are giving up 109 points a night, ranking near the top in points given up. Doncic is averaging nearly one-third of the points the Mavs produce. Without him, Wood and Dinwiddie must step up.
Doncic will exhaust at some point in the season. He plays a hard 36.5 minutes a night, ranking 12th in the NBA. Doncic is as incredible as it comes unless he is in the best shape of his life. Even still, it would be challenging to continue this level of productivity from Luka Doncic.