Luka Doncic vs Jayson Tatum 2024 NBA Playoffs Stats, records and more

Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum will take center stage as the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics tip off the 2024 NBA Finals on ABC on Thursday. Doncic and Tatum are two of the best young superstars, vying to become the next face of the league. Both seem at par with their credentials and accolades, so the finals are the ideal way to gauge who is better.

It will be Doncic's first appearance in the penultimate round, while Tatum will play in his second finals in three years. The former has been in high-stakes games like these during his time in Europe with Real Madrid, so he's got some experience. However, the NBA Finals are different, and Tatum will have the edge in that area.

Luka Doncic vs. Jayson Tatum 2024 NBA Playoffs Stats

Luka Doncic

Doncic has had the more difficult path leading up to the finals. The Western Conference was more stacked and competitive, so there were no surprises. However, the Mavs performed phenomenally well against every opponent.

Doncic had a rocky start to the playoffs for the first 10 games, six against the LA Clippers in the first round, and four against the OKC Thunder in the second. However, a pivotal Game 5 with the series tied 2-2 saw Doncic flip a switch and play out of his skin the rest of the way.

After leading the Mavs to a six-game series win against the Clippers and Thunder, respectively, Doncic's improved form saw Dallas dismantle the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the conference finals.

Here's how Doncic performed in the 2024 NBA Playoffs series-by-series:

vs Team	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	FG%	3-PT FG%
Clippers	29.8	8.8	9.5	1.0	0.5	40.5%	23.9%
Thunder	24.7	10.5	8.7	1.8	0.5	44.7%	39.1%
Timberwolves	32.4	9.6	8.2	2.2	0.4	47.3%	43.4%
Total	28.8	9.6	8.8	1.6	0.5	43.8%	34.3%

Jayson Tatum

Tatum has had a much easier path than Doncic and the Mavs as the Celtics faced a Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat in the first round. In the second round, Jarrett Allen didn't play for the Cavaliers, while Donovan Mitchell missed Games 4 and 5. The Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals, but Tyrese Haliburton missed the last two games.

Tatum has been impactful all around, but his offensive game has been well below his standards. He struggled heavily with his shot, especially from 3 throughout the playoffs, with rarely a game or two where he knocked those shots down efficiently. However, that didn't matter much, considering the opponent's quality and the other elements in Tatum's game as a defensive presence.

Here's how Tatum's numbers look leading up to the finals:

vs Team	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	FG%	3-PT FG%
Heat	21.8	10.4	5.4	0.4	0.5	41.6%	29.0%
Cavaliers	26.8	10.4	6.2	1.6	1.0	44.1%	27.3%
Pacers	30.3	10.3	6.3	1.3	0.5	46.3%	30.6%
Total	26.0	10.4	5.9	1.1	0.7	44.2%	84.5%

Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum's primary matchups could decide the series

Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum will likely be counterparts on the court apart from being the leaders on their respective teams. The Celtics can use Tatum in a multitude of ways to limit Doncic. That could either be as his primary defender or on the backline on the big, which reduced the chances of Doncic and the Mavericks feasting on traditional pick and rolls, a key to their success in the postseason.

The one who comes out on top in this battles arguably gives their team a shot in the arm to prevail in this series and hoist the 2024 NBA Championship.