Why the Dallas Mavericks’ superstar party of one will shock the Golden State Warriors

The Dallas Mavericks were not supposed to beat the Utah Jazz.

Not with Luka Doncic out the first three games with a calf strain.

And they definitely weren’t supposed to beat the Phoenix Suns, the 2021 NBA Finals runner-ups, who were far and away the best team during the regular season and seemed destined to win their first NBA championship.

Yet, here we are.

Doncic and the Mavericks, fresh off a historic seventh-game drubbing of the Suns, are still rolling on their “Shock the World Tour,” ready to begin their Western Conference Finals series against the Golden State Warriors at 8 p.m. Wednesday night in San Francisco.

And like the previous two series, the Mavericks are the underdogs.

This is where their season is supposed to end against a star-studded and champion-laden Warriors team led by two-time MVP Stephen Curry, a Top 75 player in NBA history, five-time All-Star Klay Thompson and three-time All-Star Draymond Green.

But as my grandfather routinely said, “Used-to-bees don’t make no honey.”

NBA legend Chris Paul made none in the last series, just like Utah’s star guard Donovan Mitchell before him.

This is about the here and now. He is no longer a young and up-and-coming prince for the future.

This is the coronation of the newest king of basketball: Doncic.

The first two rounds have been a Doncic coming out party.

Doncic leads the playoffs in scoring (31.5 points per game) and rebounding (10.1), and is tied for first in assists with 6.6.

And now he is ready to paint his masterpiece.

Doncic is not only the best player in the series against the Warriors but he is the best player left in the playoffs among the final four teams.

And that is no respect toward Curry, Miami Heat guard Jimmy Butler or Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.

They are great and have been outstanding in the postseason.

But remember Curry has other All-Stars in tow in Thompson, Green and Andrew Wiggins and budding superstar Jordan Poole.

Let’s not forget how Curry and the Warriors looked last year without Thompson.

Butler has All-Star Bam Adebeyo, former All-Star Kyle Lowry and lottery pick Tyler Hero.

Tatum has All-Stars or former All-Stars in Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford.

Doncic is just on another level.

Credit coach Jason Kidd for pushing all the right buttons and Jalen Brunson, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney Smith and Maxi Kleber for stepping up in key moments.

But Doncic is a superstar party of one in Dallas — him and himself alone.

It has conjured up images of Dirk Nowitkzi and the 2011 Mavericks, who destroyed the original three-superstar teams — the San Antonio Spurs with Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili and the Miami Heat with Lebron, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh — en route to the franchise’s only other title.

Who says Doncic is not en route to a Dirk re-do, only with more flare and more savagery.

Nowitkzi was a kind and humble superstar even in the face of disrespect

But if you try to mock Doncic, he’s going to punk you right back.

Ask Suns star guard Devin Booker and rap superstar Lil Wayne.

What Doncic did against the Suns would get him jumped in the park.

Embarrassed them. Humiliated them.

Punked them.

All while laughing.

Picture the humbled and frothing Marques Johnson character in “White Men Can’t Jump.”

Except this is no con.

Doncic averaged 32.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 7.0 assists in the seven-game series. And in the 123-90 blowout in Game 7, the stone-cold 23-year old killer had 35 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in just 30 minutes.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Doncic is the second-youngest player to record 35 and 10 in a Game 7 behind only Tom Heinsohn at 22.

Doncic has been that good.

He is that good.

And he is doing it with ease.

Never has a perimeter player taken over a game with such methodical, deliberate and fundamental purpose.

Luka takes his time and is virtually uncheckable.

So while the world is picking Golden State in Western Conference playoffs, don’t bet against the Mavs.

Doncic is the best player left.

It won’t be long before he is known as the best player in the NBA.

His playoff stats and your eyes say he might already be there.