The 10 best NBA moments of the 2019 calendar year

Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)
Portland Trail Blazers Damian Lillard. Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NBA Dallas Mavericks Luka Doncic
Dallas Mavericks Luka Doncic (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

7. Luka Doncic’s everything

Luka Doncic took home Rookie of the Year honors with stellar first-year numbers only Oscar Robertson ever managed to replicate, but given his shortened learning curve as an accomplished EuroLeague vet, the fast start was hardly a surprise.

What Doncic is doing now, though, is something different, far beyond what even his staunchest of supporters could’ve predicted in Year 2.

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Did Luka lead Dallas resurgence?

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He’s averaging 30.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game, pushing the Dallas Mavericks to a surprising 16-7 start with the league’s highest offensive rating.

There have been seven triple-doubles — already tying Magic Johnson for the most by a 20-year-old — three 40-point outings and Doncic became just the third player to ever average a 30-point triple-double over an entire month, which he did in November to take home Player of the Month honors.

He’s created a realm of production which only he occupies that sits ninth on the all-time leaderboard for single-season PER.

The numbers and accomplishments are being racked up with flair and style that puts some of the league’s elite in their place … and Doncic is only 20 years old!!

Expectations will eventually sully Luka’s honeymoon phase as has been the case with several greats before him. Until then, appreciate this combination of youth and greatness the league has never seen that places Doncic on the early path to pantheon status.