section_path: Professional career/Dallas Mavericks (2018–2025)/First Western Conference Finals appearance (2021–2022)
section_name: First Western Conference Finals appearance (2021–2022)
paragraph_text: First Western Conference Finals appearance (2021–2022)
  
  On August 10, 2021, Dončić signed a five-year $207 million rookie extension, the largest in NBA history. On February 3, Dončić was named as a reserve for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. Two days later, Dončić logged his 44th career triple-double with 33 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists, and two steals in a 107–98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, overtaking Fat Lever for tenth on the all-time career triple-double list. On February 10, Dončić scored 28 of his career-high 51 points in the first quarter, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out six assists on 17-of-26 shooting from the field, including seven three-pointers, in a 112–105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Three days later against the Clippers, Dončić scored 23 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter, grabbed 15 rebounds, and dished out eight assists in a 99–97 loss. With 96 points in the two games, Dončić had the most in a two-game span against the same opponent since Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 for Philadelphia against Seattle in December 1967. For his performances against the Clippers, Dončić was named Western Conference Player of the Week. On February 18, he scored 49 points, including seven three-pointers, to go along with 15 rebounds and 8 assists in a 125–118 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Dončić became the fourth player in NBA history to record multiple 45-point, 15-rebound, and five-assist games in a calendar month, as well as the first player to record at least 40 points, fifteen rebounds, five assists, five three-pointers, and a plus/minus of +20 in the same game.
  
  On February 27, Dončić recorded 34 points, and 11 rebounds, leading the Mavericks back from 21 down in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors in a 107–101 victory. Dončić became the first player in NBA history to average 30 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists per game while shooting at least 40 percent from three-point range in a calendar month in the three-point era since 1980. On March 3, Dončić won his second career NBA Player of the Month award when he was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Month for February; Dončić is the second Maverick to win this award multiple times, after Dirk Nowitzki, who won it six times in his career. On March 29, Dončić logged his 46th career triple-double with 34 points (25 points in the first half), 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 128–110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
  
  Dončić missed the first three games of the playoffs because of an injury in the final regular season game. On April 28, Dončić led the Mavericks to a 98–96 Game 6 win over the Utah Jazz to close the first-round series. It was the first time Dallas had advanced to the postseason's second round in Dončić's four-year NBA career. It was also the first time Mavericks won in the first round since winning the 2011 NBA Finals. On May 2, in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, Dončić posted 45 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in a 121–114 loss to the #1-seed Phoenix Suns. On May 15, Dončić recorded 35 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in three quarters of play in a 123–90 Game 7 victory, securing the Mavericks a place in the Western Conference Finals. On May 20, during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Dončić posted 42 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in a 126–117 loss to the Golden State Warriors. He joined Michael Jordan (917) and Wilt Chamberlain (867) as the only players in NBA history with 800 points through their first 25 career playoff games. Dončić also tied Dirk Nowitzki for the most 40-plus-point games in Mavericks playoff history with seven. Two days later, Dončić surpassed Nowitzki in 40-point playoff games with a double-double of 40 points (21 in the fourth quarter) and 11 rebounds in a 109–100 Game 3 loss. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he led Dallas in points, rebounds, and assists ten times during the playoffs—the most ever in a single postseason. On May 24, Dončić was selected to his third All-NBA First Team, becoming the third player since the merger to do so in their first four years, joining Tim Duncan and Larry Bird.
  
  On August 10, 2021, Dončić signed a five-year $207 million rookie extension, the largest in NBA history. On February 3, Dončić was named as a reserve for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game. Two days later, Dončić logged his 44th career triple-double with 33 points, 13 rebounds, 15 assists, and two steals in a 107–98 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, overtaking Fat Lever for tenth on the all-time career triple-double list. On February 10, Dončić scored 28 of his career-high 51 points in the first quarter, grabbed nine rebounds, and dished out six assists on 17-of-26 shooting from the field, including seven three-pointers, in a 112–105 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Three days later against the Clippers, Dončić scored 23 of his 45 points in the fourth quarter, grabbed 15 rebounds, and dished out eight assists in a 99–97 loss. With 96 points in the two games, Dončić had the most in a two-game span against the same opponent since Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 for Philadelphia against Seattle in December 1967. For his performances against the Clippers, Dončić was named Western Conference Player of the Week. On February 18, he scored 49 points, including seven three-pointers, to go along with 15 rebounds and 8 assists in a 125–118 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Dončić became the fourth player in NBA history to record multiple 45-point, 15-rebound, and five-assist games in a calendar month, as well as the first player to record at least 40 points, fifteen rebounds, five assists, five three-pointers, and a plus/minus of +20 in the same game.
  
  On February 27, Dončić recorded 34 points, and 11 rebounds, leading the Mavericks back from 21 down in the third quarter against the Golden State Warriors in a 107–101 victory. Dončić became the first player in NBA history to average 30 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists per game while shooting at least 40 percent from three-point range in a calendar month in the three-point era since 1980. On March 3, Dončić won his second career NBA Player of the Month award when he was named the NBA Western Conference Player of the Month for February; Dončić is the second Maverick to win this award multiple times, after Dirk Nowitzki, who won it six times in his career. On March 29, Dončić logged his 46th career triple-double with 34 points (25 points in the first half), 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a 128–110 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
  
  Dončić missed the first three games of the playoffs because of an injury in the final regular season game. On April 28, Dončić led the Mavericks to a 98–96 Game 6 win over the Utah Jazz to close the first-round series. It was the first time Dallas had advanced to the postseason's second round in Dončić's four-year NBA career. It was also the first time Mavericks won in the first round since winning the 2011 NBA Finals. On May 2, in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, Dončić posted 45 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in a 121–114 loss to the #1-seed Phoenix Suns. On May 15, Dončić recorded 35 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in three quarters of play in a 123–90 Game 7 victory, securing the Mavericks a place in the Western Conference Finals. On May 20, during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, Dončić posted 42 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and three steals in a 126–117 loss to the Golden State Warriors. He joined Michael Jordan (917) and Wilt Chamberlain (867) as the only players in NBA history with 800 points through their first 25 career playoff games. Dončić also tied Dirk Nowitzki for the most 40-plus-point games in Mavericks playoff history with seven. Two days later, Dončić surpassed Nowitzki in 40-point playoff games with a double-double of 40 points (21 in the fourth quarter) and 11 rebounds in a 109–100 Game 3 loss. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he led Dallas in points, rebounds, and assists ten times during the playoffs—the most ever in a single postseason. On May 24, Dončić was selected to his third All-NBA First Team, becoming the third player since the merger to do so in their first four years, joining Tim Duncan and Larry Bird.