It was only a matter of time until Luka Doncic received an opportunity to etch his name into NBA postseason lore. And much to the Dallas Mavericks' liking, the 23-year-old wunderkind's signature performance came under win-or-go-home pressure, on the road, against the league's top-ranked title contender.
With a trip to the Western Conference Finals on the line, Doncic happened to score as many first-half points (27) as the favored Phoenix Suns, and finished Game 7 of the West semifinals with a team-high 35 on 12 of 19 shooting in the team's 123-90 blowout win on Sunday in Footprint Center. According to ESPN, the Mavs' margin of victory was the second-largest in a series-clinching game against the NBA's best team in league history.
"What we saw was a reality we knew, going into the series, but was definitely demonstrated over the course of the seven games. Luka Doncic was the best player on the floor," Dallas sports anchor Mike Leslie told After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Monday. "And all due to respect to Suns' Devin Booker, who had a fantastic regular season, and Chris Paul, who's had a sensational career.
"Doncic was was the best player on the floor. And I'd go as far as to say that, for the entirety of the Mavs' playoff run, whoever they play -- Utah in the first round, Phoenix in the second, obviously Golden State in the third round, and whether it's Boston or Miami in the Finals -- they'll be able to say they have the best player on the floor in that series."
Dallas, which clinched the West's fourth seed with a 52-30 overall record, will take on the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of the West Finals on Wednesday at Chase Center (9 p.m. ET tipoff). According to FiveThirtyEight's projections, the Mavs currently have a 70-percent chance to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 and a 30-percent chance of capturing the championship.
The entire Mavericks playoffs conversation between Leslie and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.