MINNEAPOLIS — Luka Magic is real and it is spectacular.
A virtuoso 32-point triple-double for Luka Doncic in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals — highlighted by a game-winning, crowd-silencing three-pointer in the waning seconds — lifted the Dallas Mavericks over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 109-108.
I contend this was the greatest postseason game of Luka Doncic's career.
And given what's at stake in this series – a trip to the NBA Finals – you could argue it was the best performance of his NBA career but he scored a historic 73 points in a game earlier this season and that's going to be pretty tough to top.
It was not a flawless performance from the Mavs 25-year-old superstar but, like Game 1, it was remarkably clutch and gave Dallas a commanding 2-0 series lead in the West Finals.
As the series heads to Dallas, here are three things to watch going into Game 3.
Luka is inevitable
With all due respect to his buddy Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic is the best player in the NBA right now.
Maybe I'm being a prisoner of the moment. After all, that game-winner over Rudy Gobert – and ensuing trash talk to the Frenchman and Minnesota fans – was something to behold from the 100 Section at the Target Center.
As I watched Wolves fans hold the back of their heads with impeccable Surrender Cobra form, you couldn't escape this one thought: Of all the players remaining in the NBA Playoffs, who is the one guy you want shooting the ball with the game on the line?
The answer is Luka Doncic.
Any other answer is just being needlessly contrarian. Even non-Playoffs, Luka is still probably the answer outside of Steph Curry.
Minnesota blew an 18-point lead. They wasted a surreal performance from NBA 6th Man of the Year Naz Reid. And Luka spearheaded the Mavericks comeback with shots and lobs.
I honestly don't know how the T-Wolves plan to stop Doncic. I'm not sure you even can.
When you double team him, he'll make the right pass to get the Mavs an open three or a dunk.
When you play tight on him, he'll drive and create.
When you play off on him, he'll bury a three in your grill.
Luka Doncic is inevitable.
And the Wolves – with their #1 rated defense – are in hell.
Anthony Edwards gassed?
History says the Timberwolves have zero shot at winning this series. Literally, it's never happened.
And if Anthony Edwards continued to play the way he has, the Mavericks may have this series wrapped up on Tuesday night in Dallas.
The 22-year-old star has not shot the ball well in Games 1 and 2 and struggled to get anything inside the three-point line.
Ant Man powered Minnesota to series victories over Phoenix and Denver. But Luka and Kyrie Irving have proven to be a difficult task – forcing Ant to defend at maximum effort and then be the man offensively. It's a lot.
According to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, Edwards received oxygen by the tunnel to the Wolves locker room late in Game 2.
Ant is exhausted. How much does he have left in the tank?
Mavs bigs besting Wolves bigs
The Timberwolves boast one of the better frontcourts in the NBA with Karl Anthony-Towns and Rudy Gobert -- a pair of seven-footers who have been terrific defensively this year.
And yet, the Mavericks have gone hard in the Minnesota paint.
Through Games 1 and 2, the Mavs have outscored the Wolves 116-80 in the paint.
While Luke and Kyrie create a lot of those shots for themselves and others, we need to give flowers to Daniel Gafford and rookie Dereck Lively II.
Never mind their relentless alley-oop dunks, their defense has been tremendous.
Gafford had five blocks in Game 2 and Lively had a few incredible plays in the fourth quarter including iso defense on Edwards in the final minute — forcing him to turn the ball over and give the Mavs a shot for the win.
Heading into Game 3, Minnesota’s best chance at minimizing Gafford and Lively’s impact is to get them to the bench with foul trouble. But to their credit, they’ve been pretty good about limiting the fouls.
Lively has been a home run draft pick by GM Nico Harrison and the Mavs front office. And at 20 years old, the best is still yet to come for the young man out of Duke.
Not since Tyson Chandler has the Mavericks had that imposing low-post presence. The former Mavs center was integral to the team’s championship in 2011.
Dallas now has two of them. And thanks to Gafford and Lively, the Mavs are just two wins away from their third NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.