At the risk of hyperbole becoming a hot topic again, I’m going to say this: Sixth-year Luka Doncic looks a lot like Michael Jordan in 1988-89, or LeBron James in 2007-08. I’m not saying he’s better than any of the GOATs. It’s simply impossible to look at what he’s doing, that he’s improving, and think any other young perimeter player is even close to his level.
His 3-point shooting has reached the level of a 50-40-90 shooter. If he continues at this pace, his 48-38-78 marks would be a career high and tie him for the personal bests in points (33.7) and assists (9.2). Doncic’s personal greatness is being overlooked by officials.
There are many reasons for this, the first of which is the team’s lack of success. Funny how people quickly forget that the Dallas Mavericks retired Chris Paul early two years ago. I mean, that’s what happens when you miss a play-in on purpose and get fined for it, but still.
The front office’s solution to his talent shortcomings was to bring in a less reliable replica player who hit the free agent market before the offseason. Only the shot-first guard hasn’t shown an interest in winning or basketball in five years.
Speaking of Kyrie Irving, his recovery from a heel contusion is going well, According to head coach Jason KiddIn an update Wednesday, he also declined to reveal a timetable for the point guard’s return. wonderful! The Mavericks could have used Irving’s services in last night’s 113-110 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were without Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley last night . Giving up a 20-point first half lead at home is one thing, but getting screwed by Caris Lavert is where I draw the line.
Dallas has lost five of its last eight games and appears headed for Western Conference purgatory once again. The narrative surrounding Doncic is largely of his own making. Experts hate empty statistics as much as they hate empty calories. His usage, style of play and indifference to his weight have drawn comparisons to James Harden.
So why am I comparing Luka to LeBron and Jordan in this article? Maybe it’s because I’m an idiot, but he’s only 24. By the time Harden starts racking up numbers like Hamburg’s Mike Double, he’s already a mature player.
I agree that Doncic’s numbers may come at the expense of his teammates finding a rhythm. Did this lead to Jalen Brunson’s exit or Kristaps Porzias’ health fluctuating? Maybe for the first, not the latter. Brunson has a chance to become the de facto No. 1 option for his hometown team, but he’s still just a 6-foot-2, score-first point guard. Porzis is now Boston’s fourth-best player.
Remember when LeBron went to the Miami Heat and people said he might not even be the best player on the team because Dwyane Wade had a ring? Remember how stupid that was? I think about this every time someone puts Jayson Tatum’s name into the MVP discussion ahead of Doncic.
Not another word to say about Devin Booker. Or Anthony Edwards.Mark Cuban crushes people’s hopes here Shark Tank Contestants also believe Christian Wood and Kyrie Irving are worthy running mates for Doncic’s talent. The current head coach of the Mavericks once deliberately spilled Diet Coke on the court during a timeout.
Forgive me if I find the idea that Doncic isn’t the winner ridiculous. His lineup is well above average and won’t make MVP voters have an epiphany and try to re-vote. Why did I choose those specific years of LeBron and Jordan’s careers? There was a time when fans and critics began to question what they were witnessing from two of the greatest players in history.
Don’t do that. Luka Doncic is a basketball savant and it’s just a matter of opportunity before he reaches the top of the sport.