Luka Doncic faces stiff test in NBA playoffs debut against LA Clippers

For the Dallas Mavericks to upset the LA Clippers in the first round of the 2020 NBA playoffs, Luka Doncic needs to be the best player on the floor.

In his second NBA season, Luka Doncic has established himself as a full-fledged superstar.

He’ll need to be that and more to help his Dallas Mavericks upset the LA Clippers in the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs.

With Doncic at the helm, the Mavericks boasted the most efficient offense in NBA history this season. The second-year phenom became the youngest player ever to notch a 30-point, 20-rebound triple-double and the youngest player ever to lead the league outright in triple-doubles, all the while guiding Dallas to its first playoff berth in four years.

While Doncic has cemented himself as an MVP candidate for years to come, he’ll be facing the reigning Finals MVP and last year’s third-place MVP finisher in his NBA playoffs debut.

Can Luka Doncic outplay the Clippers’ defensive dynamos?

Kawhi Leonard is one of the most disruptive two-way wings in today’s league. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year has a massive 7-foot-3 wingspan that enables him to guard all five positions. Opponents shot 4.6 percentage points below their average this season with Leonard as their primary defender, and the Clippers allowed 4.4 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor.

Leonard alone would pose a stiff test for Doncic throughout this series. But whenever he needs a breather, the Clippers can slide Paul George onto Doncic to give him no respite from an elite defender.

George wasn’t as impactful defensively as Leonard this season, but his 6-foot-8 frame and 6-foot-11 wingspan gives him similar versatility on that end of the floor. He’s a four-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive team, and he earned a First Team nod last year with the Oklahoma City Thunder while leading the league in steals.

The combination of Leonard and George is uniquely equipped to defuse Doncic since it can limit him as both a passer and scorer. Leonard was tied for fifth league-wide with 3.5 deflections per game this season, and George wasn’t far behind with 3.0.

Doncic ranks sixth in the NBA with 28.8 points per game, but his passing ability is what sets him apart from the league’s other top scorers. Even if Leonard and George limit his scoring output, he could still dissect the Clippers by passing to open shooters such as Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Seth Curry.

But if Leonard and George smother Doncic’s passing lanes, they might cut the head off the snake of Dallas’ elite offense.

Doncic averaged 29.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists in his three regular-season matchups against the Clippers, but he shot only 42.6 percent overall and 27.3 percent from 3-point range. The Mavericks lost all three of those games, topping the 110-point threshold only once, whereas the Clippers scored at least 110 in each one.

With so many options to throw at Doncic — Patrick Beverley and Marcus Morris could switch onto him at times, too — the Clippers are uniquely equipped to defang the Mavericks. That will put more of a burden on Dallas’ supporting cast, particularly Porzingis.

The 7-foot-3 unicorn has been sensational since arriving in Orlando, averaging 30.5 points on 47.6 percent shooting, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 triples, 2.2 assists and 1.5 blocks per game during his six seeding-game appearances. Outside of 7-foot starting center Ivica Zubac, the Clippers don’t have a single regular rotation member above 6-foot-8, which should give Zinger an enormous size advantage in this series.

If Leonard and George successfully slow down Doncic, the Mavericks will likely need superstar performances from Porzingis to have a chance in this series. But the Clippers may be willing to concede 30-point eruptions from Porzingis so long as they can keep the ball out of Doncic’s hands.

None of this is to say Doncic won’t be up for the challenge. He went off for 36 points on 12-of-26 shooting, 10 rebounds and nine assists in the Mavericks’ 110-107 loss to the Clippers on Jan. 21, a game in which Porzingis finished with only 10 points on 4-of-17 shooting. (Granted, George didn’t play in that game.)

But as he proved with his virtuoso performance against reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the bubble — he had 36 points on 12-of-24 shooting, 19 assists and 14 rebounds in a 136-132 victory — even elite defenses have trouble containing such a dynamic offensive force.

The Mavericks are likely one major piece away from seriously posing a threat to a team as loaded as the Clippers, but Luka Doncic could turn the tables on that narrative by outperforming Leonard and George throughout the series. If he does, Dallas could thwart the seemingly preordained Battle for L.A. in the Western Conference Finals.

All statistics via NBA.com or Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted.