Watch Luka Doncic score the most points in a playoff debut in NBA history (Video)

Luka Doncic scored the most points in a playoff debut in NBA history.

Everyone knew Luka Doncic was special, but the Dallas Mavericks phenom turned his first playoff game into the highest-scoring postseason debut in NBA history on Monday night.

Reminder: Luka Doncic is only 21 years old.

Facing a tough defensive team in the LA Clippers, the Slovenian sensation was unstoppable all night, finishing his first ever playoff game with 42 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals. He shot 13-for-21 from the field and made 14 of his 15 free throws on the way to becoming the only player in league history to hit 40 points in his playoff debut.

What’s scary is Luka Doncic has plenty of room to improve.

Doncic was terrific as the best player on the Mavs Monday night, but he only made two of his six 3-pointers and also committed 11 turnovers in 38 minutes of action. That information shouldn’t be used to diminish what Luka did in his first ever playoff game, though; if anything, those drawbacks should be viewed as a blessing in Dallas, since it means he still has plenty of room to improve.

For a guy who just dropped 42 points on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in his first NBA playoff game, that’s a terrifying prospect.

The Clippers ultimately got the Game 1 win, 118-110. Leonard led the way with 29 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals, while George followed up with 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting.

However, the Mavs hung tough with a team that’s expected to contend for a championship this year. Despite falling down 10-0 right off the bat, and despite Kristaps Porzingis being ejected by two soft technical fouls, Doncic was able to carry his team with a superstar performance.

Dallas needed to seize this type of close game to feel good about its chances of an unexpected upset in this series, but even if the narrow loss stings, Mavs fans should feel very good about the future if this is the starting point for Doncic’s playoff career.