DALLAS — Dallasites and NBA pundits are no strangers to Luka Magic and the hot run the Mavericks strung together in the latter part of the 2022 season.
But after the Mavs stunned the world and beat down the NBA's top team in Game 7 ... on the road ... NBA Twitter was all aboard the Luka/Mavs hype train.
Luka Doncic went off in Game 7 for 35 points and 10 rebounds in only 30 minutes of playing time. Doncic didn't play the entire fourth quarter because well ... he didn't have to, as the Mavs were already up by 42 at that point.
Over the course of the seven-game series with the Phoenix Suns, Doncic outscored the Suns leader scorer in Booker (218 to 164), out-rebounded 7-foot center Deandre Ayton (69 to 57) and out-assisted the NBA's third all-time assist leader Chris Paul (49 to 40) and had more steals than Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Mikal Bridges (15 to 9).
Rightfully so, Doncic and the Mavericks are turning heads. Here is a look at the reaction to this Mavericks playoff run:
Lakers forward LeBron James reiterated a stance he's had on Doncic for quite some time. Someone on Twitter asked James who his favorite player under 25 years old was. He took it one step further.
"LUKA. He's my fav player!!," James tweeted.
On the Pat McAfee Show, McAfee gave his praises to Doncic, saying he is "a DAWG!!"
"He's unbelievable to watch," McAfee said. "He seems to be electrifying. He talks sh--, but he moves at a pace that looks so casual ... has the ability to do whatever. And it feels like the Mavs are only going to be able to build around him."
This next one will warm the hearts of Mavs fans.
Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle went on 105.3 The Fan on Monday afternoon, where he made some pretty bold statements. Carlisle, who coached the 2011 Dirk Nowitzki-led Mavericks to the team's only NBA title, said this playoff run "eerily reminds me of the 2011 run, because it started off not really with much expected."
"A lot of people thought we were [going to lose to Portland]. A lot of people predicted Utah would beat Dallas with Luka being out two or three games," Carlisle said. " And they took care of Utah, and the momentum has just continued to go. When you beat the best team in the league as decisively as they did yesterday, you are playing a high, high level of basketball."
Numerous NBA players (both current and former) chimed in on Twitter while the Mavericks torched the Suns in Game 7, including Ja Morant, C.J. McCollum and others.
NBA writers, pundits and national media hopped on the Luka hype train, too.
The Mavericks performance made Stephen A. Smith admit he has "never been more wrong." The Athletic D.C. host David Aldridge also gave an interesting, yet fun, explanation for the monstrous blowout. FS1 host Nick Wright, who has been a longtime Doncic stan, had fun reveling in moment.
The Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors tip off for the Western Conference Finals on Wednesday, May 18, at 8 p.m. Here is a full schedule of the series.
All aboard the Mavs train ... either hop on or get off the tracks.