The Postseason Trifecta: Luka Doncic is pulling a Nikola Jokic -- already
The Postseason Trifecta: Luka Doncic is pulling a Nikola Jokic -- already
The Mavs star is on track to achieve the rarest of feats: The Postseason Trifecta.
Last year, Nikola Jokic became the first player ever to lead the postseason in all three categories of points, rebounds and assists.
It’s what I call the Postseason Trifecta.
Last season’s postseason leaders:
Points: Jokic, 600 (Jimmy Butler, 592)
Rebounds: Jokic, 269 (Bam Adebayo, 227)
Assists: Jokic, 190 (Jamal Murray, 142)
It marked a stunning achievement for a guy who was selected in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. The Denver Nuggets center did something that LeBron James, Magic Johnson and other stat-filling champs had not done.
Seventy-six years of NBA postseasons and countless greats who dazzled on the biggest stage … and yet, the statistical feat hadn’t been accomplished. Until Nikola Jokic.
And now the Postseason Trifecta is about to be done again.
If you look at the leaderboards, another European virtuoso sits atop the triple-double statistical categories: Luka Doncic.
Your 2024 Postsason leaders:
Points: Doncic, 489 (Anthony Edwards, 441)
Rebounds: Doncic, 164 (Jokic, 161)
Assists: Doncic, 150 (Tyrese Haliburton, 123)
I think it’s fair to say that, if he stays healthy, Doncic will become the second player to achieve the Postseason Trifecta in as many years. It’s a testament to his greatness that he’s even in the running for something like this, but there’s more to it than greatness alone.
The Trifecta competitors
No one remaining is all that close to Doncic in any category. Notice that all three of the runner-ups — Edwards, Jokic and Haliburton — have already been eliminated from the playoffs.
Which means that Doncic’s lead on the field is even wider than we thought. The only relatively “close” category is rebounds, which he still owns a sizable lead.
Ruling out any injuries, I can’t see Doncic surrendering his 101-point lead over his fellow teammate, Irving. In a seven-game series where both players play, that would mean Irving would have to average 14.6 points more than Doncic.
Is it possible that Irving averages 35 ppg and Doncic averages 20 ppg in a seven-game Finals series? Yes. Would I bet on it? Hell no.
Same goes for assists. Irving would have to close a 62-assist lead by Doncic. In a seven-game series, he’d have to average 9.0 assists per game more than his teammate. Irving 14 assists per game, Doncic 5 assists per game? Yeah … nah.
The one that DOES seem plausible is the rebound category. In a seven-game series, Tatum would have to average about three boards more than Doncic to eclipse him. The Boston star is currently averaging more than Doncic (10.4 vs. 9.6) so the possibility is there. Can he crack that margin open to 3.0 for seven games? I’m skeptical.
And that’s just for a seven-game series. Overcoming a 19-rebound deficit in a shorter series becomes much harder.
It’s safe to say that Doncic will pull a Jokic this year and lead all postseason players in points, rebounds and assists.
So what does this mean? Was last year’s Jokic run the best postseason ever, and now it’s about to be matched? Hold on.
What the Postseason Trifecta is really about
To me, a back-to-back Postseason Trifecta — after 76 years of none of them! — is a reflection of two things. First, we’re in the heliocentric era of the NBA. Teams are now entrusting their star player to do most of the heavy lifting offensively. The Lukas, Jokics and LeBrons of the world are now shouldering most of the shot creation for their teams instead of having a more egalitarian offense.
Secondly, it might seem counterintuitive, but the trifecta stat punishes the best teams. In order to compile those stats, you need lots of games — i.e. a postseason run that boasts six- and seven-game series to rack up stats. Sweeps are strong indicators of dominance, but it won’t help you grab the elusive Postseason Trifecta. Priorities!
Helping Doncic’s cause is that the Mavericks have played 17 games compared to the Boston Celtics’ 14 games this postseason. What Doncic loses in per-game averages he gains in game volume. You need to be great AND have extended series.
For instance, none of the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers led in any of the points, rebounds or assists categories that postseason despite winning the championship in resounding fashion. In the 2001 postseason, Shaq was second in total rebounds to Dikembe Mutombo and second in total points to Allen Iverson.
Why? Well, it helped that the Sixers played SIX more games than the Lakers that postseason. That Lakers squad went 3-0, 4-0, 4-0 and 4-1 in that run while the Iverson-led Sixers needed seven games to top the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks. Sometimes it doesn’t help to be so good — at least for the Postseason Trifecta.
Doncic is still having a ridiculous postseason, averaging 28.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists while playing 41.5 minutes per game. He just eviscerated the NBA’s top defense in the Minnesota Timberwolves and embarrassed them on their home floor.
The Postseason Trifecta remains a remarkable achievement regardless of the outside factors helping to drive Doncic’s case. It’s a sign of greatness as much as it is a sign of the times.