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If they were giving out an MVP award for the entire playoffs, Luka Doncic would probably be the odds on favorite to win it. The Dallas Mavericks were the only team in the conference finals not to have multiple All-Star caliber players and yet they were among the last four standing, thanks in no small part to their Slovenian superstar.
But even with Luka Doncic failing to reach the NBA Finals, the Mavs star still did himself a huge favor in terms of how this postseason run will positively affect him and his team, now and going forward.
Luka Doncic may be a mere spectator as the Golden State Warriors take on the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals, but here's why he could arguably be the biggest winner from this postseason when all the dust settles. Here are three (3) reasons why:
3 reasons Mavs' Luka Doncic is still the biggest playoff gainer
#1 – Living up to his own massive hype
Luka Doncic has zero regular season MVP awards right now. Given that he's only been in the league for four NBA seasons, that shouldn't actually mean anything.
And yet, the franchise player for the Mavs has had the highest preseason betting odds on FanDuel to win MVP for two years running now, heading into what were just his third and fourth seasons in the league. For context, LeBron James took six years to win his first MVP nod. Michael Jordan did it in his fourth year with the Chicago Bulls. The standard he's being held against is literally with the greatest players to ever play.
🚨 NBA MVP ODDS 🚨
🔘 Luka Doncic +5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
🔘 Kevin Durant +6️⃣5️⃣0️⃣
🔘 Giannis Antetokounmpo +7️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
🔘 Joel Embiid +8️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
🔘 Stephen Curry +8️⃣0️⃣0️⃣
🔘 Damian Lillard +1️⃣2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣Who you throwing your money on??? 💰
(Odds via @FanDuel) pic.twitter.com/ldqDbJUtlx
— Whistle (@WhistleSports) October 19, 2021
The expectations surrounding Luka Doncic are just that high, and for good reason. In just his first three seasons, he's exhibited potential to be one of the all-time greats. But with such a lofty beginning to his career, the bar for what he's supposed to accomplish is constantly being raised, perhaps even soaring to unreasonable heights.
In getting to the conference finals in just his fourth season in the NBA, he's silenced a handful of his critics and thrust him back on his proper trajectory. LeBron made the NBA Finals in his fourth season. Michael Jordan got to the conference finals in his fifth. Both did it with rather underwhelming supporting casts, just as Luka Doncic has learned to do. Right now, it's looking like he's right back on schedule.
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#2 – Mavs sense of urgency at the right time
Luka Doncic showed the Dallas Mavericks what he's capable of doing with a mediocre supporting cast. Now it's their turn to come up large for their franchise player.
It's not that the Mavs weren't going to try to improve the roster regardless. All playoff contending teams are obviously trying to do that every year. But with the postseason breakthrough that they've just had, there should now be a greater sense of urgency to get some higher caliber of talent next to Luka Doncic. No more thinking twice about taking a big swing if the opportunity arises.
It also comes at the perfect time given Mavs teammate Jalen Brunson now hitting free agency. A poor showing and an early exit from Dallas could have potentially made the front office and Mark Cuban more gun shy about pulling the trigger on a shiny, new deal for their secondary playmaker.
But after being the only other player who could create his own offense aside from Luka, letting him go would be a huge mistake and probably sends the wrong message to Doncic in terms of the team's commitment to building a winner around him.
With Jalen Brunson's likely extension to stick around in Dallas, that could very well mean that this is the last window for the Mavs to make a big-time move without falling head and shoulders deep into the luxury tax.
#3 – Best silent recruitment pitch ever
In this era of social media, it's become easier for players to recruit one another now more than ever. A simple Instagram story or a player caught liking another star's jersey swap photoshop could ignite a rumor that could eventually manifest itself into an actual trade or signing.
But the best recruitment pitch is still the play on the basketball court. Money aside, players would want to play for a team that offers a chance to win while also having ample opportunity at a big role or chance to thrive. The Mavs have both.
They just made the conference finals while also showcasing (a) Luka Doncic as a clear-cut top five player in the NBA (b) a desperate need for a co-star. The chance to play off one of the best playmakers in the game that desperately needs high-level talent around him is the best sales pitch you can make. With another All-Star alongside a freshly re-signed Jalen Brunson and a hopefully in-shape Luka Doncic, there's no reason to think the Mavs can't make the NBA Finals next season.
