In the playoffs, Luka Doncic has been in a league of his own, carrying the Dallas Mavericks night in and night out. His influence on the Mavericks is obvious, and if one didn’t know he was only 23, they’d assume he’d been in the NBA for years judging from the way he plays. The player is a veteran in a body of a young player.

He may not be the NBA’s fastest or most athletic player, but that is what makes the Slovenian special. 

Doncic plays the game at his own tempo, boosted by his superior IQ. His ability to orchestrate and control a game is comparable to that of peak LeBron and Harden. The most underrated aspect of Luka’s skill set, though, is his strength. And that has been on full display in the Mavericks-Suns playoff series.

He had Chris Paul guarding him on a play early in the first quarter of Game 5. And it’s fair to say that the Slovenian schooled the veteran. Doncic showcased his strength and played bully ball on Paul during the isolation play.

He bulldozed his way towards the basket while also displaying additional skills from his repertoire. The Slovenian capped the play by sinking a fadeaway over the seasoned guard, displaying impeccable power, fluid handles, and a smooth shooting stroke. 

However, this was not the first time in the series that Luka Doncic unleashed his bully ball. On one play in Game 3, the Slovenian had Mikal Bridges guarding him. Bridges was a frontrunner for defensive player of the year, but it didn’t matter because Luka bulldozed his way to the basket through him. 

Doncic has been a walking highlight reel since entering the league. The Slovenian has it all, from difficult step-back or fadeaway jumpers to phenomenal distribution, and can stuff the stat sheet on any given night. The fact that he bullied CP3 and a hound defensive player like Mikal Bridges speaks volumes about how brilliant Luka already is. 

Twitter reacts to Luka Doncic bullying Chris Paul on offense

Dallas Mavericks may have lost Game 5 and gone down 3-2 in the series, but Luka’s bully ball against Chris Paul had Twitter go nuts. 

Luka can’t do it all alone

Despite being fairly young, the Slovenian phenom has extensive playoff experience abroad. Luka won the EuroLeague title and captured the EuroLeague MVP in 2018 and is the youngest player ever to put on a Real Madrid jersey, at the age of 16. He’s displaying signs of being able to replicate that success in the NBA, but he can’t do it all by himself. 

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Luka is responsible for the vast majority of Mavericks’ offense, whether it’s assisting his teammates or scoring at an unbelievable rate. The huge workload, though, will wear out any player, even one as gifted as Luka. Seeing him play, it’s easy to say he was built for this moment, and playoff basketball courses through his blood. However, in order to reach that elite level and compete for a championship, Luka will need some assistance. 

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The Mavericks showed a lot of heart in winning Games 3 and 4 to even the series. However, in Game 5, Mavs players other than Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson combined for just 31 points. 

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The Mavericks currently trail the Suns in the series 3-2 and will return home for Game 6. It remains to be seen if they will force a Game 7, but one thing is certain: American Airlines Center will be rocking as Dallas attempts to salvage its season.