Mavericks star Luka Doncic's dominance attributed to simple factor

For the past few years, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has arguably been the best point guard in the league, as evidenced by his four All-NBA First Team selections from 2020 to 2023. He has also continued to generate MVP buzz early in the season.

It's hard to find a player nowadays who has proven unstoppable in both scoring and finding the open man. So far this season, no one else is in the top five in average points and assists. 

Even so, Doncic and the Mavs remain disrespected in some NBA outlets. Don't count his fellow Slovenian Vlatko Cancar among them, though.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic's dominance attributed to simple factor

In a recent interview with DallasBasketball.com, the Denver Nuggets forward heaped praises upon Luka, saying he is the standard all point guards should hold themselves to.

According to Cancar, the 24-year-old ball wizard is able to dictate the tempo with his offensive repertoire. He also believes Luka's patience is an attribute that point guards must have.

"I feel like he controls the pace of the game by never being in a rush, and he will bait you until the last second. He's really good at that, and for everybody else, I feel like that's a teaching point to all the point guards just to take your time and make the defense pick their poison."

- Vlatko Cancar

As the Nuggets champion alluded to, "Luka Magic" consistently keeps opponents on their toes thanks to his deep bag. 

Use single coverage on him, and he will just find ways to score from anywhere on the court -- be it from beyond the arc or inside the paint. While some folks have knocked Doncic for his supposed lack of athleticism, he has actually used it to his advantage, drawing comparisons to Larry Bird from one of the Boston Celtics legend's teammates.

Meanwhile, when teams overplay Doncic, the Mavs floor general can make defenses pay because of his court vision. In the 2023-24 campaign, he has been dishing out a career-high 9.1 assists per game. Evidently, the four-time All-Star is a primary reason Dallas has a top-six offense this season.

The franchise is quite fortunate to have found a cornerstone who can dominate the league and have a positive impact on winning. Remember, it has only been less than two years since he led the Mavs to the conference finals. 

This season, the squad looks to have the potential to vie again for the Western Conference pennant, holding a 16-11 record and the sixth seed in the West. On the flip side, it still appears to have a major hole to fill on the defensive end if it wants to keep up with the rest of the contenders in the conference. But with Doncic on its side, Dallas must like its chances.

For the latest news on Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, be sure to stay tuned.