“Luka is going to have his version of 22-year-old LeBron” - Nick Wright believes Luka Doncic will carry Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals, says they’ll get washed by the Bucks
Nick Wright said Luka Doncic's greatness can carry the Dallas Mavericks deep in the playoffs on Thursday’s “What’s Wright” podcast with Nick Wright. Unfortunately for Mavericks fans, Wright said their run will be stopped there by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Luka Doncic will carry Mavericks to NBA Finals
Nick Wright said:
"I think this is the Dallas Mavericks' year, not to win the title, but to get to the finals. I think Luka, who is the closest we've seen to LeBron (James) in NBA history or at least since LeBron, Luka is going to have his version of 22-year-old LeBron, '07, carrying a very weak Cavs team all the way to the NBA Finals, where they then got washed by Spurs.
"I think Luka can carry the Mavs to the NBA Finals, where they then will get washed by Bucks."
The Mavericks (45-28) are in fifth place in the Western Conference. Doncic has stood out, averaging 27.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game.
Wright believes his dominance will continue all the way to the NBA Finals.
LeBron James, as a 22-year-old, led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the 2007 NBA Finals. Though the team got swept by the San Antonio Spurs, James still managed to prove his greatness. For Doncic, who is 23, to be referenced to this version of James, of all versions, shows how much he has proved himself already.
The 2006-2007 squad that accompanied James left something to be desired. None of his teammates averaged more than 15 points per game, and the highest assist average was 4.1.
However, James, in only his fourth year in the league, averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 78 games that season. He led the league in total minutes at 3,190 and was third in plus/minus at 8.1, even with the squad he had.
Doncic, in his fourth season, is familiar with much of the same structure.
Though Doncic has better company with him than James in 2007, there is still a large gap in skill between himself and his teammates. If not for Doncic, the Mavericks would not be in this great of a position. Kristaps Porzingis is the closest to Luka in scoring average with 19.2 ppg. But Porzingis is now playing for the Washington Wizards.
Wright’s comparison is a grand one but bittersweet nonetheless as the last chapter ends with Doncic being dominated in the NBA Finals. James got swept in the 2007 NBA Finals, so Wright is telling us that Luka’s fate is much the same.