DALLAS — Any comparisons of Mavericks dominance and accomplishment remain up against Dirk Nowitzki’s legendary career, on and off the court, in his 21 seasons in Dallas.
But his successor has taken another step toward establishing his own barometer.
Luka Doncic will start in the 2021 All-Star Game, the NBA announced Thursday night on TNT, joining the Warriors’ Steph Curry as the top Western Conference guards.
Doncic and Portland’s Damian Lillard tied in the final standings for the second West guard spot, based on fan (50%), player (25%) and media (25%) votes. Doncic, who finished second in the fan poll and third among players and media, earned the start based on fan votes.
The 21-year-old’s second consecutive starting nod matches Nowitzki’s two All-Star starts and marks the first time a Mavericks player has earned two via traditional votes. Nowitzki started in 2007 and 2010 as an injury replacement.
Jason Kidd (1996) was the franchise’s only other player to earn a start in the annual showcase.
Check off another individual milestone in Doncic’s prodigious rise to NBA superstardom — all before his 22nd birthday.
“He’s on the highest possible trajectory that a young player can be on,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday after practice. “He is one of the faces of the league, and he’s deserving to be an All-Star starter.”
Doncic will line up alongside Curry and a West frontcourt of the Lakers’ LeBron James, Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic and Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard — at least on paper. The Wizards’ Bradley Beal and Nets’ Kyrie Irving (backcourt), and the Nets’ Kevin Durant, Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo and 76ers’ Joel Embiid (frontcourt) are starters from the East.
The NBA will hold the March 7 All-Star Game in the same format as 2020. Each conference’s fan-vote leaders — this time James and Durant — will draft teams with a mix of East and West representation.
Will Doncic become a two-time member of Team LeBron, teaming again with his childhood idol? Or will he be part of Team Durant’s debut?
The league hasn’t set a date for the All-Star draft yet.
But regardless of choice, one thing is clear:
Doncic’s international appeal and dominant run through February make him an enticing candidate for either captain — and distanced him from Lillard.
Some correctly guessed Lillard’s status as one of the league’s most elite closers and the short-handed Trail Blazers’ No. 4 rank in the West would garner him more media and player votes than Doncic, who finished almost 500,000 fan votes ahead.
Doncic, however, has regained his elite rhythm and all-around savvy in recent weeks — just in time to potentially sway undecided voters after he started the season in subpar shape.
Before the historic Texas weather and power crisis upended the Mavericks’ schedule through at least Friday, Doncic was on the most prolific scoring roll in franchise history.
His 118 points over the last three games and 186 points in the last five are the most by any Maverick in those spans. Three of his eight career 40-point games have come in the last five outings.
If the season ended now — though it won’t, despite the Mavericks’ current scheduling fiasco — Doncic would set career highs in average scoring (29.1 points per game, assists (9.4) and shooting from the field (47.5%), 3-point range (33.5%) and the foul line (79.5%).
Doncic ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring, third in assists, 18th in rebounding and is tied with the Wizards’ Russell Westbrook for a league-high seven triple-doubles this season.
Debate on TNT and social media about Doncic vs. Lillard started almost immediately after the results were revealed.
“Popularity contest, Luka’s going to win,” TNT analyst Kenny Smith said. “The most feared man in basketball right now is Damian Lillard.”
