Luka Doncic earns 3rd straight first-team All-NBA nod

The Dallas Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals behind the incredible play of superstar Luka Doncic. He missed the team’s first three playoffs games with a calf strain after an incredible close to the season that helped the Mavs have the second-best record in the NBA since Jan. 1. After his return, Doncic hit the ground running as he averaged over 30 points per game as Dallas knocked out the Jazz to win their first playoff series since 2011 before taking out the top-seeded Suns to reach the conference finals.

Doncic may just be the best player in the NBA right now, but he is certainly one of the top five because for the third straight year, he earned his first-team All-NBA honors. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, and Jayson Tatum joined Luka as being named to the first-team. Joel Embiid was bumped to the second team at center with Jayson Tatum taking a forward spot or it would have been the same top five as the MVP voting.

Luka averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 1.2 steals in his fourth NBA season to propel him to the honor. The Mavs finished fourth in the Western Conference during the regular season. All-NBA honors do not factor in playoff performance, but Doncic has only improved his stock by helping Dallas reach the conference finals.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic earns 3rd straight first-team All-NBA nod

Luka received 476 points of a possible 500 in the balloting. Giannis Antetokounmpo received all 100 first-place votes to score 500 with Doncic and reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic tying with the second-highest mark in the league.

The Mavs superstar became just the fourth player in NBA history to receive three first-team All-NBA honors before reaching the age of 24. Luka’s three is second in Mavericks history behind only Dirk Nowitzki, who was voted first-team All-NBA four times, and it equals the longest consecutive streak in team history as Dirk made it from 2005-2007 before earning his fourth in 2009.

Luka was the only player to average 25.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game this season, according to Mavs PR. He continues to produce numbers no player in the league can match, and the Dallas Mavericks' deep playoff run should leave no doubt that number 77 is in the running for the league’s best player before his 24th birthday. Stay tuned to see what is next from Luka Doncic and the Mavs.