No one expected that.
Dallas reached the Western Conference semifinals as a complete underdog against runner-up Phoenix, but tonight (Sunday through Monday) defeated her in Game 7 away 93: 120, all the way to a meeting with Golden State in the Western Conference Finals.
Despite the surprise itself in the form of the Mavericks' sweeping victory, the one who unsurprisingly was above them all, for the umpteenth time, was Luka Doncic.
The Slovenian star provided another night for the Pantheon, finishing with a triple-triple of 35 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, with his first 27 points coming just in the first half - like all Suns players combined.
His coach Jason Kidd complimented him at the end: "It's a flaw. The bigger the stage, the bigger his ability becomes."
Doncic's record display has not disappeared from his teammates in the best league in the world either.
Trey Young from Atlanta tweeted: "He has a face of 'Do not mess with me.' Ja Morant of Memphis wrote, 'Luca goes wild.' Alex Caruso of Chicago: 'Luca is going crazy here.'
luka wilding 😂🔥💯
- Ja Morant (@JaMorant) May 16, 2022
He mean muggin these dudes !!
😂
- Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) May 16, 2022
Luke going crazy sheesh
- Alex Caruso (@ ACFresh21) May 16, 2022
What am I witnessing right now… .. this suns - mavs game 😳 @ESPNNBA
- Andre Drummond (@AndreDrummond) May 16, 2022
His teammate, Spencer Dinwiddie, who also finished a great night with 30 points, said at the end: "This is how it is when your leader comes into the fight sharp. He's never scared and always wants to give a knockout. He took the game by storm and it was great to see him."
Dirk Nowitzki also came to visit, Photo: USA TODAY Sports
And of course it is impossible without Doncic's own conclusion: "I like games like this, like Game 7. I know we were an underdog against the Suns, but we believed. We played amazing."
Let's go mavs chants up in here…
- Dirk Nowitzki (@ swish41) May 16, 2022
Go Crazy !!!!!
@ luka7doncic
- Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) May 16, 2022
Luka Doncic is completely sonning Devin Booker on the biggest stage 😳 pic.twitter.com/1Rqxn7HkDd
- Guru (@DrGuru_) May 16, 2022
LUKA DONCIC IS CURRENTLY THE BEST NBA PLAYER IN THE WORLD.
- Castro1021 (@ Castro1021) May 16, 2022 Wrong?
Fixed!
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