NBA Playoffs must-follow storylines: LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks

How will Doncic perform in his first playoff series?

Doncic already had his share of high-stake, crucial basketball. Despite being only 21 years old, he is already a Euro League MVP, Euro League championship, and many more international awards. But leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first playoff appearance since 2016 is a much different atmosphere.

However, what we have seen from Doncic is he doesn’t seem to fail to meet his expectations. From beginning his career in the NBA, many people didn’t believe the hype. He proved them wrong. Then, he exceeded everyone’s expectations when he became an MVP candidate in just his sophomore year.

So, what can we expect from Doncic in his first playoffs?

Exactly what we saw so far, but also struggling just a bit. Translating what you do in the regular season to the playoffs is a skill. A skill that takes players many years to get used to. The game slows down in the post-season and it gives the LA Clippers more time to gameplan for him.

The Clippers can throw Leonard, George, Beverley, Morris, or JaMychal Green. A lot of different bodies to put on him for every minute he is on the floor. And this will be key in taking Doncic out of the equation, especially if they can limit him in the fourth quarter.

This is something Doncic struggles with – his clutch performance. In the fourth quarter, he is shooting 44.4 percent from the field but is taking 99 3-pointers and only converting 24.2 percent. The numbers are almost identical when the games are within five points.

So, with the defense mainly focused on him, it wouldn’t be unusual for him to struggle, but he could prove everyone wrong quite easily.