The Mavericks, winners of eight of their last nine games, have elevated themselves to at least fringe contender status at least a year earlier than any of us expected. This is driven by the league’s top offense, which in turn is driven by Luka Doncic, who in his second season is playing at an MVP level and, along with James Harden, might be the best offensive player in the NBA. He’s 20.
Last night he dropped 33-18=5 on the Pelicans in 28 minutes like it was nothing. This is not unusual, as he’s averaging over 30 with 10 rebounds and nine assists, carrying a 36 percent usage rate and doing it with efficiency.