Luka Doncic joins Jayson Tatum in pantheon of greats ahead of 2024 NBA Finals matchup
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are headed to the NBA Finals after whipping the Minnesota Timberwolves, 124-103 in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals on Thursday. The Slovenian blasted out of the gate, erupting for 20 first-quarter points to outscore the Timberwolves by himself. He will be going to his first championship round after submitting a 36-point, 10-rebound, five-assist and two-steal night, all while trash-talking to Minnesota fans.
Doncic wasn’t just good in Game 5 or for the series against Anthony Edwards and Co. He has been great throughout the season, particularly in the playoffs. In 17 postseasn games, he averaged 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists, figures that are all team-best. Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum are the latest to reach the NBA Finals while leading their respective teams in those categories.
Before them, the list only included Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Tim Duncan and Jason Kidd, Doncic’s coach in Dallas. Jokic did it last year while James accomplished the feat from 2012-15, the only player to achieve it multiple times. Kidd led the New Jersey Nets to the 2002 NBA Finals when he joined the list. Duncan's San Antonio Spurs ruled the league in 2003 when he became part of the group.
Interestingly enough, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum will headline the 2024 NBA Finals showdown between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics. Doncic and Co. reached the stage after overcoming homecourt disadvantage in each round of the playoffs. Tatum and his teammates, meanwhile, lost home-court edge in the first round and the semifinals before sweeping the East finals.
Luka Doncic's matchup against Jayson Tatum could determine the winner of the 2024 NBA Finals
Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum will certainly downplay any mano-a-mano duel between themselves. They will likely stick to the narrative that the championship will be won or lost based on how their respective teams will play. While teams and not inviduals win or lose titles, it will be the superstars who will determine who goes home with the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
To that end, how Doncic and Tatum will fare in the 2024 NBA Finals will be the biggest storyline of the series. They both have a stellar supporting cast but the fate of the Mavericks and the Celtics, respectively, will be hitched to the two players' wagons.
It will be an interesing side note how their numbers will stack up against each other. Both will likely continue leading the team in points, rebounds and assists but which superstar leads his team to the championship will be riveting.