Prominent basketball player in the NBA. - Following in Nowitzki's footsteps: Doncic's opportunity for championship glory
Over the past two and a half weeks, Luka Doncic's stature has solidified outside the Dallas Mavericks hall, right alongside Dirk Nowitzki's. Since the Würzburg team's title win 13 years ago, the Mavericks have been absent from the NBA Finals.
With Doncic as the leader and Maxi Kleber, another Würzburg player in the squad, they are finally back. The fans have long awaited this moment since 2011, said Doncic before the initial game in the series against the Boston Celtics. The hosts are largely favored for the match starting at 2.30 am CEST on Friday, but the Mavericks are more than just underdogs in the potential seven-game series.
The Celtics, who were the epitome of success during the regular season, don't lack for star players and a wealth of experience by this time in the season. The East Coast team has been in the Finals twice in three years, and they've made it to the Eastern Conference Finals six times out of eight. According to the bookmakers, the 17-time champion from the US East Coast is the obvious favorite. However, more money is being wagered on a Mavs championship before the first game.
Doncic's dominance in the playoffs
The reasons behind these bets are two players: Kyrie Irving and especially Doncic, a seemingly average street athlete from Slovenia considered by many fans and experts to be the best NBA basketball player of the season. No player has scored more points than him. In the playoffs, he has already amassed at least 150 rebounds, 150 assists, and 50 three-pointers - something no one has accomplished before.
The MVP of the regular season was given to Nikola Jokic, but he and his Denver Nuggets were eliminated in the second round as defending champions. Doncic, on the other hand, was crowned as the MVP of the Western Conference Finals after winning four games in five matches against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Now, he leads his team with Irving against Boston. "Kyrie has a positive attitude as a person and is simply amazing on the court. He makes my job easier," said Doncic about his long-time complex and confrontational teammate.
Irving and Boston share a history. Two years ago, the point guard played in Massachusetts before moving to the Brooklyn Nets, sparking hatred from Celtics fans. Irving had struggled in Boston games, engaged in verbal sparring with fans, and stamped on the Celtics logo. Even with the Nets, Irving made headlines for his actions off the court.
Essential role for Kleber
Since relocating to Texas, however, Irving has appeared calmer, happier, and now seems like the ideal fit with Doncic. "This is a wonderful combination. These two help each other and you can see that they depend on each other," said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. After initial challenges in the months following the transfer during the previous season, Doncic and Irving have been invincible this season.
"We enjoy playing basketball. We like to play together. That's all," said Doncic after scoring 20 of his 36 points in the first quarter against the Timberwolves, surpassing the opponents' collective total. Without Doncic and Irving playing at their best, there's no way they can beat the Celtics.
Even players like Kleber are crucial in the Finals. Kleber's defensive skills could make all the difference, especially if Kristaps Porzingis is as anticipated to take the court against his former team in Dallas for Boston. "Basketball is a team sport. Every player on the team has their role, and they all matter. We trust each other," Doncic affirmed. He knows: Even Nowitzki didn't single-handedly bring the championship to Dallas; he had significant support, including Jason Kidd - Doncic's current coach.
