“I don’t care what numbers say, he’s won one playoff round” - Chris Broussard believes it’s too soon to declare 3-time All-Star as one of the greatest playoff performers
![Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard [Source: Sports Diet 365]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/04/12821-16513142487870-1920.jpg?w=500)
Fox Sports analyst Chris Broussard doesn't consider Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic to be one of the greatest NBA playoff performers just yet. Doncic has broken several individual records in his short postseason career so far. However, he hasn't seen much of collective success.
Broussard believes that winning just one playoff series puts a question mark on whether Luka Doncic is an all-time great playoff performer. Here's what the TV analyst said on the most recent episode of First Things First:
"I don't care what the numbers say, he's won one playoff round. ONE! 16 games, all the other guys on that list, they've played more playoff games than that in one season. It's too early [to predict Doncic's greatness], Like KD would say, 'too soon bro!'"
Luka Doncic recorded his first-ever playoff series win on Thursday, April 28. He led the Dallas Mavericks to a 98-96 Game 6 closeout win over the Utah Jazz in their 2022 NBA playoffs first-round matchup.
"I don't care what the numbers say. Luka has won ONE playoff round."
— @Chris_Broussard responds to @getnickwright saying Luka Dončić 'is the one of the greatest playoff performers we've ever had': https://t.co/bCaBlq2P88
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks to a postseason berth in each of the last two seasons but failed to help them advance to the second round, losing to the LA Clippers on both occasions.
The former Euro League MVP was phenomenal individually, though. He averaged 31 points, 8.7 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game in the 2020 playoffs, and 35.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game in the 2021 playoffs. Luka Doncic continued his remarkable run in his third playoff campaign as well, managing 29.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game across three matches.
Luka Doncic continues to break playoff records
Luka Doncic has broken plenty of playoff records, despite playing in only 16 postseason games so far. The three-time All-Star recently became the second quickest player (16 games) to amass 500 points in the playoffs, second only to Michael Jordan, who took 14 games to achieve the feat.
It took Luka Doncic just 16 Playoff games to score 500 Points.
That’s the fewest since Michael Jordan did it in 14 games.
https://t.co/klpSMJ0sv6
Doncic is also the second player to record multiple 40-point triple-doubles aged 21 or younger, trailing LeBron James for the said record. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old is the only player to record 275+ points, 75 rebounds and 75 assists across the first nine playoff games.
The Dallas Mavericks did not have the best roster balance in previous years, resulting in their early playoff exits. However, that doesn't seem to be the case this time around. The Mavs are one of the best two-way teams in the league. They limited the Utah Jazz to only eight threes per game during their first-round series.
It was a remarkable feat as the Jazz have been one of the premier 3-point shooting teams in the NBA over the last few years. Donovan Mitchell and Co. knocked down 14 threes per game during the 2021-22 NBA regular season.
Jason Kidd's appointment as the new head coach, along with the acquisitions of Reggie Bullock, Spencer Dinwiddie and the emergence of Jalen Brunson, has paid dividends for the Mavericks thus far.
On top of that, Luka Doncic has only gotten better with each passing year, so the Mavericks are in a solid position to make a deep playoff push this time around. It will be interesting to see how they respond to the challenge presented by the league-leading Phoenix Suns in their Western Conference semifinals series.