The Mavericks are now the talk of the NBA bubble. That is the Luka Doncic effect on work.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – One month and one day into their stay here at Bubble World, the Mavericks woke up Sunday to another bright steamy morning, but also a new sensation.

Importance of bubble

One great game, one brilliant individual performance, one exciting finish and especially jaw-dropping game late on Saturday night puts the Mavericks at the forefront of bubble talk, if not hierarchy.

It’s the Luka Doncic Effect, franchise-lifting moments that have happened several times since the Mavericks drafted Doncic 23 months ago, but never quite the aftermath of Saturday’s 136-132 overtime over Milwaukee.

In roughly a half-hour span, starting when they were left by sand with 1:50 left in regulation, the Mavericks went from bubble background to footlights. From intriguing to playoff-dangerous. From “maybe next season” to “Why not now?”

“It’s great for our confidence, the way we felt when we woke up, the way we feel here,” guard JJ Barea said Sunday afternoon, after the Mavericks’ practice at Coronado Springs Resort.

‘It gives us the feeling that‘ Hey, we can beat anyone. We just need to stay together. ‘Games like that are enormous, especially here in the bubble.’

Here in the bubble, where 22 NBA teams are assembled. Here in the bubble, where everything seems enlarged. Here in the bubble, a week before the start of the playoffs.

Here in the bubble, Doncic has the third-highest scoring average (33.4), the highest assist average (11.6) and the fifth-highest rebound average (11.6) after five seeding games, but no one had reason to remark until his overall play and late-game theatrics against the Bucks.

Especially The Pass, Doncic’s between-the-legs bounced pass to Maxi Kleber for a dunk and free-throw follow-up with 1:18 left in overtime, extending Dallas’ lead to 133-128.

“Luka is not only a great basketball player; he’s a great performer, ”said Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle.

‘I do not know what I did; I just did it, ”said Doncic.

“One of the most talented guys I’ve ever played,” said Bucks star and MVP favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo. ‘He’s making the whole team better and he’s going to keep getting better. As long as he makes his team better, they will be hard to beat. ”

With three seeding games left, starting with a Monday-Tuesday back-to-back game against Utah and Portland, the Mavericks (42-30) are likely to stay against the Los Angeles Clippers when the playoffs begin on August 17th. For that reason, the Mavericks have chosen to rest Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and Dorian Finney-Smith against the Jazz.

The Clippers would certainly favor heavily. However, Doncic has clearly elevated his game to an all-possible level in the bubble, especially the past two games, against the Clippers and Bucks, the NBA’s fourth and first rankings.

Doncic started no turnover in the second half against the Clippers and first half against Milwaukee. He added just two in the second half of Saturday and overtime.

As Carlisle remarked, “Many of the demons of our past bubble games stood right in our faces,” until the comeback against the Bucks. And it wasn’t just Doncic. His game elevated that of his teammates, especially Finney-Smith (career-high 27 points), Porzingis (26 points) and Kleber (15 points).

While he becomes the first player in NBA history to place a static line of 36 points, 19 assists and 14 rebounds, Doncic kept his often elusive complaints to referees short.

“The leadership aspect of it, really in the big picture, is just as big as these ridiculous statistics he compiles,” Carlisle said.

Perhaps no one in the arena was more appreciative of Doncic’s achievements than the 36-year-old Barea, who has mentored his young Slovenian friend on and off the court.

Barea, the only active Maverick left out of the NBA championship team in 2011, recognizes greatness peaking at playoff time. He saw Dirk Nowitzki do it year after year, especially in 2011.

Barea said he could tell in the opening minutes against the Bucks that it would be a special Doncic night. Barea saw Doncic ride the track every time he wanted to. He saw Doncic throw any kind of pass he wanted.

“The way Luka controlled the whole game was special,” Barea said. ‘It was the best game I’ve ever seen Luka play from start to finish.

‘I was,’ he plays with these boys. ‘He was under control. He had fun. He could have had as many as 30 assists. We all know he’s a scorer and can pass, but last night his decision making was perfect the whole match. ”

Good enough for the Mavericks to make the bubble talk, at least for now. And who knows? Maybe the playoff time is coming too.

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