(By Brad Townsend - Dallas Morning News)
Mavericks’ Luka Doncic named Western Conference Player of the Month
It’s the second time in 23-year-old Doncic’s young career that he has been named player of the month.
Not that anyone needed more evidence of Mavericks star Luka Doncic’s recent surge, but Thursday afternoon produced major validation: Doncic was named NBA Western Conference Player of the Month for February.
It’s the second time in 23-year-old Doncic’s young career that he has been named player of the month. The other time was for November of 2019.
In 10 February games, during which the Mavericks went 7-3, Doncic averaged an otherworldly 34.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 8.8 assists, 45.7% field goal shooting and 41.2% 3-point shooting. He scored 30 or more points seven times -- including games of 51, 49, 45 and 40 points.
Still, Doncic was far from certain of player of the month anointing. Young Memphis star Ja Morant, who was selected over Doncic as a starter in last month’s NBA All-Star Game, averaged 33.9 points, 5.9 assists, 5.6 rebounds and culminated the month with a 52-point outburst as Memphis finished 8-2 in February.
Now, Doncic has another reason to briefly celebrate atop his recent (Feb. 28) birthday. He said a few days ago that he isn’t sure whether this has been the most dominant stretch of his four-season career: “That’s for you guys (reporters),” he said.
During one five-game stretch, from Feb. 8 to Feb. 17, he broke his own franchise record for most points in a five-game stretch. His old mark was 186. His new one is 199.
Doncic joins franchise great Dirk Nowitzki as the only Mavericks to earn multiple player of the month awards. Nowitzki six of them, but the last of those was for April of 2009. The Mavericks franchise and its fans waited a decade before another player of the month winner came along.
Now, Doncic is at two and almost assuredly counting.
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