Why Luka Doncic is an unquestionable first-team All-NBA selection

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic stands out in the advanced metrics

Doncic is not just a walking triple-double, but one of the league’s best players by any metric. The Mavs are 33-16 with Luka on the floor this season, including winning 11 of the last 13. The 23-year-old superstar stands out in the advanced metrics.

He ranks fourth in box score plus-minus and value over replacement player, according to Basketball-Reference. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid are the only three players ahead of the Mavs star, and none of them classify as a guard in All-NBA balloting.

Luka is eighth in offensive box score plus-minus, 12th in defensive box score plus-minus, and tenth in player efficiency rating (PER). He is also second in assist percentage and leads the league in usage percentage.

No guard can match those advanced metrics. He trails Trae Young in assist percentage, offensive box score plus-minus, and PER, but Doncic is the unquestioned superior talent as the Hawks have struggled to recapture last season’s success.

Ja Morant has the edge in PER and offensive box score plus-minus with Luka leading everywhere else. The Grizzlies are likely to win the division and finish in the top three in the West with Morant leading their charge, but again Doncic is the superior talent with the better numbers. Expect the Dallas Mavericks to continue pushing up the standings too.