Ever since Dirk Nowitzki retired from the Dallas Mavericks, the franchise was pinning their hopes on Luka Doncic. The Slovenian superstar has moved leaps and bounds to become one of the best players in the NBA.

Mavericks took home the first game in their highly expected clash against the Los Angeles Clippers. Along with Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavericks have beaten Kawhi and Co. in their first game as Luka was at the heart of their proceedings. However, the playoff tie is not over as Doncic looks to help the Mavs beat the Clippers.

Former NBA champion, Isiah Thomas appeared in an interview to analyze Doncic’s game against the Clippers.

The unguardable Luka Doncic

He spoke about how the Clippers’ defense was non-existent to Doncic’s offensive skill set. In addition, Thomas highlighted the influence of Doncic on the Mavericks.

“Clippers are in trouble because Luka is saying, ‘It don’t matter who you put on me’. You can have the best perimeter defender, and we think George, Leonard Patrick Beverly, when they came together we all said, hey these are three of the best perimeter defenders in one team.

“While Luka is saying, he told Patrick Beverly, ‘You too small’, he told Paul George and Kawhi, ‘Ya’ll can’t guard me’, and he is stepping back shooting threes and when you double team me, okay I can pass over you, I can pass around you so what are you going to do with me. That is how Luka is coming to the game saying to the Clippers,” said Thomas.

Isiah Thomas focused on the impact of Doncic on the team while praising his offensive consistency on the floor. Guarding Luka is a tough job and Thomas stressed on the fact that the Clippers were in big trouble.

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How good has Doncic been this time around?

It is no surprise that the Dallas Mavericks are outliers to win the title with Doncic in their ranks. No matter what the odds are, the young Slovenian is important to the Dallas-based outfit.

In the 3 seasons that he has played, Doncic averaged over 20, or more points per game. But this season, he has put up some legendary numbers, and also broken records on the way.

The numbers of Doncic are extraordinary considering how young he is. Despite being 22 years old, the 6′ 7″ guard averages around 27.7 points, 8 rebounds, and over 8.6 assists per game.

These are incredible numbers considering he played his rookie season just 2 years ago. His basketball IQ for a player of his age is remarkable. He can play anywhere on the court considering his physical stature.

Even though James Harden has perfected the skill of shooting step-back threes, the movement of Luka while shooting the same shot is aesthetically pleasing to watch. Notably, his playmaking skills are often similar to that of the legendary Steve Nash.

The Clippers have a task on their hands as the Dallas Mavericks are looking to advance into the next round. The former 2019 Rookie of the Year has the potential to be one of the greatest players in the history of the Mavericks franchise. Surpassing Dirk Nowitzki will be tough, but Luka has all the makings to challenge him in the future.