Luka Doncic continues to be the talk of the NBA as we reach the quarter pole of the season. Doncic is coming off an amazing month of November where he averaged a triple double -- 32.4 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 10.4 APG. He then started December by scoring 21 of his 27 points in the second half to lead the Mavericks to a 114-100 win at Staples Center, snapping the Lakers’ 10-game winning streak.
Dallas has been one of the league’s best stories so far, busting out of the gate with a 13-6 record, led by the international duo of Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks figure to win their share of close games with one of the league’s best coaches, Rick Carlisle, calling the shots from the bench.
Doncic continues to astound long-time NBA observers with his exploits. He had three 40 point games in November, and during the first quarter of a game against the injury-decimated Warriors, he had more points (22), rebounds (5) and assists (5) than the entire Golden State team. The last player to accomplish that feat was Hall of Famer Allen Iverson back in 2003.
With outstanding ballhandling ability and positional size at 6-foot-7, Doncic has the unique ability to get anywhere he wants to go on the court even though he lacks exceptional speed or quickness. More than one veteran defender has been left grasping for air trying to figure out which way Luka is going on his Euro-step drives to the basket.
Doncic ranks right with Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and James Harden in the early season MVP race, and if he manages to lead Dallas to a playoff berth while averaging a triple double, he just might knock Derrick Rose out of the record book as the youngest MVP in NBA history.