Dallas Mavericks: 3 must-watch storylines this season

3. Can Luka Doncic win MVP?

The most important storyline for the Dallas Mavericks revolves around Luka Doncic and his MVP candidacy. They’ll go as far as he can carry them, as with all great players, but Doncic is special.

He’s 21 years old and coming off a ridiculous sophomore season in which he averaged 28.8 points, 9.4 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game, and he was the engine behind one of the most prolific scoring offenses in NBA history. The Mavs scored 115.9 points per 100 possessions, which is the highest offensive rating ever, but of course, league-wide scoring is up relative to past seasons.

After finishing last season as an MVP finalist, Doncic ranks somewhere between favorite and highly-ranked candidate for this year’s award. It’s lofty company, joining the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James and James Harden, but he’s absolutely earned his way there.

With few exceptions in league history, the MVP goes to a player who leads his team to a top-two spot in his conference, and for Doncic to have a case in a field with guys like Giannis, LeBron and Harden, that’s exactly what he’s going to need to do. MVP voters won’t be impressed by the best player on a seven-seed, even if Doncic puts up the same massive numbers he did last season.