CHARLOTTE – Anyone wanting to know if Dallas Mavericks rookie forward Luka Doncic deserves to be on the Western Conference All-Star team this year, the last person to ask is Luka Doncic.

Whenever Doncic is asked that question – and it has popped up several times in recent weeks – he acts like he wants to run to another room and lock the door air-tight. Fortunately for Doncic, others have stepped forward and spoke on his behalf.

“Well, time will tell,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s having a terrific year, but look, we’re in a team thing here and I just am reluctant to get into talking about individual stuff.

“Generally speaking, if you’re having a great individual year and your team is a winning team you have a chance to make the All-Star team. All those things will probably factor into it.”

Forward Dirk Nowitzki certainly knows a thing or two about All-Star games. He’s played in 13 of them, and realizes how tough it’ll be for a rookie like Doncic to be a part of the NBA’s midseason classic, especially since the majority of the NBA talent resides in the West.

“He’s a major part of why we’re almost .500 in the West, but it’s going to be tough,” Nowitzki said. “We already know there are some amazing, amazing players in the West – it’s going to be tough for him to get in.

“But he has a case. He’s been playing well, he’s been running the show, he’s been really clutch for us in big games, so he deserves a shot or at least to be mentioned.”

Doncic leads the Mavs in scoring with 19.6 points per game, and also averages 6.5 rebounds and five assists. And he’s also constantly cheered on road games, which means those cheers could turn into votes that may get him into the All-Star game as a starter.

Ironically, the All-Star game will be played on Feb. 17 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, where the Mavs drilled the Hornets on Wednesday, 122-84. Will Doncic have to pack his bags and return to Charlotte and be – for a day anyway – a teammate of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, James Harden and Kevin Durant, etc.?

“I think anything’s possible,’’ said center DeAndre Jordan, who played in the 2017 All-Star game. “Luka’s been playing great for us this year.

“We’ll definitely see what happens, but he’s definitely been a very exciting player to watch this year.”

As far as Doncic discussing whether he’s done enough and deserves to be named to the All-Star game this year, he smiled when asked about it and almost went totally silent.

“Actually, it would be a dream for me,’’ Doncic said. “So we’ll see.”

Asked if he thought he belonged in this year’s All-Star game, a sheepish Doncic lowered his voice and said: “I don’t know.”

Standing within shouting distance of the conversation, Jordan shouted: “Now you don’t speak English, huh?”

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