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Can Luka Doncic Sustain This Level of Play?

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots as Memphis Grizzlies forward Xavier Tillman (2) during the first half defends at FedExForum.

There was no question coming into the new NBA season that Luka Doncic would pick up right where he left off. The Dallas Mavericks bolstered their roster through the draft and have received decent help from their other guards.

Doncic remains magical, but it begs the question, how long can he keep this up? The NBA season is as brutal as it is long, and for the Mavericks to make some noise in the playoffs, someone needs to help Doncic.

Can Luka Doncic Sustain This Level of Play?

The Dominance of Luka Doncic

While it’s only three games into the season, the Mavericks have won all three contests thanks to Doncic. Currently, he leads the league in scoring (39) and is third in assists (9.7). Doncic also currently leads his team in rebounds (11.7).

Doncic is quite literally putting the team on his back and has recorded a triple-double in two out of the three games. The numbers are scary and strike a heavy resemblance to past superstars.

When LeBron James entered the league, he was considered one of the best NBA prospects of all time. In his fifth season, James averaged 30.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game.

It was clear James was a man on a mission, but it wasn’t until he left the Cleveland Cavaliers and teamed up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to win his first NBA championship.

The league is built differently now, but if the Mavericks want to avoid repeating history, they must keep Doncic happy.

The Best Ability is Availability

If not to keep Doncic happy, the Mavericks should at least look for help to keep Doncic healthy. While he’s played in at least 61 games every season, the high usage level makes it that much harder on him as he gets older.

Doncic also accounts for a significant chunk of the Mavericks’ offense. If he goes down, so does the rest of the team.

At the moment, Doncic is on pace to average a career-best in points, rebounds, and assists, as he is a man on a mission. There’s no doubt he will break the bank on his next huge contract, but winning a championship would be that much sweeter.

The Mavericks need to do everything they can to keep Doncic fresh and ready for the NBA postseason. As unforgiving as the regular season can be, it turns into a completely different ballgame once teams change defensive schemes around Doncic.

A healthy Doncic is the only way the Mavericks will make some noise in the postseason.

The Last Word on Luka Doncic

It’s truly a thing of beauty to watch Doncic play. The kid who many were skeptical of when he got drafted has truly paved the way for the European style of play.

Doncic can very well one day be the face of the league. Until then, like most players, the hope is that Doncic has a sustainable and healthy career.

What’s the best move for the Mavericks? Will they keep running Doncic into the ground, or will they surround him with the help he needs?

Ryan Menzie

Ryan Menzie

Ryan Menzie is a Los Angeles native who grew up loving sports thanks to the Los Angeles Lakers and the Baltimore Ravens. Playing basketball since he was seven years old, Ryan wanted to one day play professional sports. Of course, the dream was cut short and instead decided his best route to still be apart of the sports world is through his writing.

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