Luka Doncic intends to make history as a star in the finals of the NBA.

When the NBA Finals begin Thursday night, Luka Doncic will seek to do something unprecedented. No, it won’t upset the much favored Celtics (-225). An upset of that magnitude has already occurred three times in Finals history. It’s guiding a team to a championship while also contributing significantly on offense. NBA titles have historically been won by teams, not by single-player overpowering offenses. And, despite having a co-pilot in Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks have relied largely on Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, this season.

Doncic’s season had the 20th highest usage rate of all time, at 35.98. This means that while Doncic is on the court, 36% of the Mavericks’ possessions conclude with him, whether it’s a shot attempt, turnover, or free throws drawn. Looking back at the NBA’s all-time high usage rates, there is no NBA champion. Let’s go through them

No. 1: Russell Westbrook (2016-2017): Lost in the first round

No. 2: James Harden (2018-2019): Lost in the second round

No. 3: Giannis Antetokounmpo (2022-2023): Lost in the first round

No. 4: Kobe Bryant (2005-2006): Lost in the first round

No. 5: Russell Westbrook (2014-2015): Missed the playoffs

No. 6: Michael Jordan (1986-1987): Lost in the first round

No. 7: Allen Iverson (2001-2002): Lost in the first round

No. 8: Luka Doncic (2022-2023): Missed the playoffs

No. 9: Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-2020): Lost in the second round

No. 10: Luka Doncic (2021-2022): Lost in the first round

No. 11: Joel Embiid (2021-2022): Lost in the second round

No. 12: Joel Embiid (2022-2023): Lost in the second round

No. 13: Luka Doncic (2019-2020): Lost in the first round

No. 14: DeMarcus Cousins (2016-2017): Traded mid-season, both teams missed the playoffs

No. 15: James Harden (2019-2020): Lost in the second round

No. 16: Dwayne Wade (2008-2009): Lost in the first round

No. 17: Jermaine O’Neal (2004-2005): Lost in the second round

No. 18: James Harden (2017-2018): Lost in the Western Conference Finals

No. 19: Michael Jordan (2001–2002): Missed the playoffs.

No. 20: Luka Doncic (2023–2024):

TBD Looking at the top-20 use rates this season, only one player before Doncic made it to the conference finals. Doncic is the first to advance to the NBA Finals. Furthermore, Doncic is only the eighth player in the top 20 to have advanced past the second round of the playoffs. Michael Jordan won the NBA title in 1993 with the greatest usage rate in history, ranking 44th all-time. Prior to Doncic, Allen Iverson had the greatest usage rate of any player to reach the NBA Finals, which he achieved in 2001. That season ranks 22nd all-time in terms of usage rate.

Typically, it is easier to stop one individual rather than an entire squad. But Doncic is the exception. Even the top-ranked defense couldn’t slow him down, as he averaged 32.4 points per game against Minnesota in the previous round. Now it’s Boston’s time to try to slow down one of the best players in the world. If the Mavericks pull off the shock, Doncic’s season would be historic, as he aims to accomplish more than any other star before him.