Luka Dončić Discussion - Year 7

[Mavrelous]

Locked on Mavericks had short episode about Slovenia's loss, they went over Luka's last 315 days:
- Preperation for WC and world cup in Pillipines
- training camp in DAL
- pre season in Abi Dhabi
- pre season in Madrid
- back to DAL
- 70 RS games
- 22 PO games
- Olympic qualifiers in Greece

Insane...

Read on Twitter

[41Dirk41]

He is a warrior

[blueberrysticky]

"A long and tiring season is behind me. I admit that I am very tired, and at the same time, I am aware that I could give more of myself in a different state," Doncic said.

Looking forward to different state Luka next year

[dirkules_41]

Amazing endurance and competitiveness but I´m glad he gets a few weeks break now instead of playing the Olympics. As fun as it would´ve been to watch him play there this break is direly needed.

[Bob8]

Watching Goran's farewell game and Luka is in great shape.

[JustBuzzin]

Watching Goran's farewell game and Luka is in great shape.

You laugh, but it's honestly sad how he can't control his weight. It's literally the only thing holding him back.

[Apz]

Watching Goran's farewell game and Luka is in great shape.

You laugh, but it's honestly sad how he can't control his weight. It's literally the only thing holding him back.

Holding him back from what? He was clearly the best player in the league last season, so holding him back from....MJ status?

[JustBuzzin]

Watching Goran's farewell game and Luka is in great shape.

You laugh, but it's honestly sad how he can't control his weight. It's literally the only thing holding him back.

Holding him back from what? He was clearly the best player in the league last season, so holding him back from....MJ status?

He wasn't the best player.

He's top 3 no doubt, but holding him back I'm talking about his conditioning, the nagging injuries, attitude. If he was in peak conditioning these little things would improve imo.

Luka at peak conditioning is the best player in the world and sitting on a championship right now.

Is that fair or not?

[Bob8]

You laugh, but it's honestly sad how he can't control his weight. It's literally the only thing holding him back.

Holding him back from what? He was clearly the best player in the league last season, so holding him back from....MJ status?

He wasn't the best player.

He's top 3 no doubt, but holding him back I'm talking about his conditioning, the nagging injuries, attitude. If he was in peak conditioning these little things would improve imo.

Luka at peak conditioning is the best player in the world and sitting on a championship right now.

Is that fair or not?

Conditioning was not his biggest problem last year. The biggest problems were injuries and team not good enough till February. He was basically playing playoffs basketball, needing to score 70+ points to win some games. Consequently he was totally spent in playoffs.

[JustBuzzin]

Holding him back from what? He was clearly the best player in the league last season, so holding him back from....MJ status?

He wasn't the best player.

He's top 3 no doubt, but holding him back I'm talking about his conditioning, the nagging injuries, attitude. If he was in peak conditioning these little things would improve imo.

Luka at peak conditioning is the best player in the world and sitting on a championship right now.

Is that fair or not?

Conditioning was not his biggest problem last year. The biggest problems were injuries and team not good enough till February. He was basically playing playoffs basketball, needing to score 70+ points to win some games. Consequently he was totally spent in playoffs.

Do you think if he got in peak shape it would help with those injuries?

Luka is great as is, but if I were him I would get in shape and be the best player hands down. The talent is not the question it's all about his conditioning and mindset at this point. That's literally the only thing stopping him from being that guy hands down.

[Bob8]

He wasn't the best player.

He's top 3 no doubt, but holding him back I'm talking about his conditioning, the nagging injuries, attitude. If he was in peak conditioning these little things would improve imo.

Luka at peak conditioning is the best player in the world and sitting on a championship right now.

Is that fair or not?

Conditioning was not his biggest problem last year. The biggest problems were injuries and team not good enough till February. He was basically playing playoffs basketball, needing to score 70+ points to win some games. Consequently he was totally spent in playoffs.

Do you think if he got in peak shape it would help with those injuries?

Luka is great as is, but if I were him I would get in shape and be the best player hands down. The talent is not the question it's all about his conditioning and mindset at this point. That's literally the only thing stopping him from being that guy hands down.

He was in good shape in the start of last season, unfortunately Mavs team wasn't and it got worse with all injuries. Mavs were basically fighting for every win till the end. The only realistic way for keeping Luka fresh till playoffs is winning games without him and playing him less in RS.

[Mavrelous]

I can't believe Luka used "bittersweet symphony" a theme for a video about a trip required of him by his sponsor

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[41Dirk41]

This is the title year. No excuses.

[HMFFL]

Luka is only getting started.
His skills are only evolving and I believe he's eying the 30/10 average. Can he do it while averaging a career high in ppg seems likely to happen.

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[Mavrelous]

Luka stats are bizarre...
In previous years, he was putting up great stats, and he also looked great playing, at all weights and shapes, yet, his on/off were pedestrian, and it was the main criticism levied against him.
This year, he's not looking great, yet, he has career high in on court rating and on/off rating.

[Bob8]

Luka stats are bizarre...
In previous years, he was putting up great stats, and he also looked great playing, at all weights and shapes, yet, his on/off were pedestrian, and it was the main criticism levied against him.
This year, he's not looking great, yet, he has career high in on court rating and on/off rating.

They're not bizzare, on/off is very influenced by who your replacement player is and in Luka case that's mostly Kyrie, before Brunson. Those 2 should normally be able to play good without Luka, therefore Luka's on/off can't be elite no matter what he's doing. Most of other stars are not having elite player on his position, that's why Jokic has always incredible on/off because his replacement is a total joke.

That's not the case with Kyrie this year. Lineups with him and without Luka are disastrous, especially in D. And consequently Luka has great on/off, even though he's not playing good.

[Mavrelous]

Luka stats are bizarre...
In previous years, he was putting up great stats, and he also looked great playing, at all weights and shapes, yet, his on/off were pedestrian, and it was the main criticism levied against him.
This year, he's not looking great, yet, he has career high in on court rating and on/off rating.

They're not bizzare, on/off is very influenced by who your replacement player is and in Luka case that's mostly Kyrie, before Brunson. Those 2 should normally be able to play good without Luka, therefore Luka's on/off can't be elite no matter what he's doing.

That's not the case with Kyrie this year. Lineups with him and without Luka are disastrous, especially in D. And consequently Luka has great on/off, even though he's not playing great.

That's the point, Kyrie is still the replacement player, it's a vindication for the past criticism.
Basically once Luka got competent defense and healthy roster around, even when it was challenged shooting wise, he had an off the chart on off...

[Bob8]

Luka stats are bizarre...
In previous years, he was putting up great stats, and he also looked great playing, at all weights and shapes, yet, his on/off were pedestrian, and it was the main criticism levied against him.
This year, he's not looking great, yet, he has career high in on court rating and on/off rating.

They're not bizzare, on/off is very influenced by who your replacement player is and in Luka case that's mostly Kyrie, before Brunson. Those 2 should normally be able to play good without Luka, therefore Luka's on/off can't be elite no matter what he's doing.

That's not the case with Kyrie this year. Lineups with him and without Luka are disastrous, especially in D. And consequently Luka has great on/off, even though he's not playing great.

That's the point, Kyrie is still the replacement player, it's a vindication for the past criticism.
Basically once Luka got competent defense and healthy roster around, even when it was challenged shooting wise, he had an off the chart on off...

No, Kyrie is struggling immensely with lineups without Luka. He has disastrous, far the worse on/off of his career and Mavs are losing games because of that. Luka's great on/off is more of a product of struggling Kyrie, when is on court without Luka, than what Luka is doing. Point of staggering Luka and Kyrie is to prevent exactly what is happening this year. Kidd should make big changes in lineups in which Kyrie and Gafford are playing. Unfortunately it looks to me that analytics are not very appreciated in Mavs coaching staff.

On/off can't measure impact of a single player, although some prominent mods are betting their life on that. But it's great tool to see which lineups work and which aren't. In Mavs case, that's mostly lineups with Kyrie and Gafford. PJ is not great either, but he has played only 7 games, so his stats are even less representative.

[Mavrelous]

They're not bizzare, on/off is very influenced by who your replacement player is and in Luka case that's mostly Kyrie, before Brunson. Those 2 should normally be able to play good without Luka, therefore Luka's on/off can't be elite no matter what he's doing.

That's not the case with Kyrie this year. Lineups with him and without Luka are disastrous, especially in D. And consequently Luka has great on/off, even though he's not playing great.

That's the point, Kyrie is still the replacement player, it's a vindication for the past criticism.
Basically once Luka got competent defense and healthy roster around, even when it was challenged shooting wise, he had an off the chart on off...

No, Kyrie is struggling immensely with lineups without Luka. He has disastrous, far the worse on/off of his career and Mavs are losing games because of that. Point of staggering Luka and Kyrie is to prevent exactly what is happening this year. Kidd should make big changes in lineups in which Kyrie and Gafford are playing. Unfortunately it looks to me that analytics are not very appreciated in Mavs coaching staff.

I think it's just the injuries, and loss of transition options, but I'm just going by guesses, Kyrie isn't a half court PG, to be effective he needs to push, and the personnel didn't allow it.

[daoneandonly]

We're blaming Kyrie now? Come on, Luka has been crap this year. Put down the hookah, drinks, stop partying, being a dad first and foremost, then earn your 200+ mil contract. Be a professional, not that hard.