Luka Doncic’s playoff career with the Dallas Mavericks is still young, yet it has been amazing to watch. The Slovenian superstar has been one of the NBA’s biggest playoff performers in the last few years. This year, Doncic finally got over the first-round hump as he eliminated the Utah Jazz to advance.
Along the way, Luka Doncic cemented his path to greatness by nearly beating a certain Michael Jordan achievement. The Mavs star became the second-fastest player to reach 500 playoff points in the NBA, just behind Jordan. Doncic needed just 16 games, while Jordan needed 14. Wow. (via NBA on ESPN)
Luka Doncic has reached 500 playoff points in 16 career games, the fewest needed since Michael Jordan 📈
MJ did it in 14 games! pic.twitter.com/jPDD3vuHeH
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 29, 2022
Doncic and Jordan’s career started similarly, in the sense that both players were already stars when the entered the league. The Mavs star immediately made an impact in his rookie year, leading the team to the playoffs and performing incredibly there. However, Doncic would repeatedly lose in the first round due to varying circumstances.
This year, though, there was no stopping Doncic. A new defensive scheme and a better supporting cast allowed Doncic to become his best self in their series. Even when their star was injured, the Mavs shone brilliantly, as they were able to take a 2-1 lead while Doncic was recuperating from injury.
The Mavs are going to have a way tougher time in the second round, though. Doncic and the team will be facing off against the Phoenix Suns, arguably the best team during the regular season. It will be a daunting task, but one thing’s for certain: Dallas won’t go down without fighting their way through this series.
