Lets admit the obvious: SGA is a better player than Luka

[jmo21]

It's pretty amazing to me that they were in the same draft.

It was ridiculous at the time that Luka didn't go first, including bang average Ayton, and mega bust Bagley, as well as getting traded.

Then 5 1st team NBA's, conference finals, a finals.

BUT Shai is the first one of them to win MVP. Will Luka ever now? Maybe, maybe not. Lakers have work to do to reconfigure their roster around him.

[ChumboChappati]

still believe that SGA > Luka ?

That question isn't going to age well for you this season.

I love SGA's game, so rhythmic, no panicking, playing to strengths. But I have to put the OP in place; SGA is not a generational talent like Luka

[KGtabake]

still believe that SGA > Luka ?

That question isn't going to age well for you this season.

I love SGA's game, so rhythmic, no panicking, playing to strengths. But I have to put the OP in place; SGA is not a generational talent like Luka

Talent alone doesn't make a career.
If that was the case Allen Iverson would have been one of the goats.

Luka achieved much at a young age. 18 years old.
Ever since he's made 1 finals in 7 years.
Giannis won 1 ring, 2 MVPs, 1, FMVP, 1 DPOY in 7 years.
Jokic won 1 ring, 2 MVPs, 1 FMVP in 7 years.

If SGA makes the Finals (and since he already has an MVP) let alone if he wins, he leaves Luka clearly behind. He already is slightly ahead fter this season.

Luka is staying behind his generation competitors.
The time to do something is now.
The others aren't going to stop.

[Lo Wang]

That question isn't going to age well for you this season.

I love SGA's game, so rhythmic, no panicking, playing to strengths. But I have to put the OP in place; SGA is not a generational talent like Luka

Talent alone doesn't make a career.
If that was the case Allen Iverson would have been one of the goats.

Luka achieved much at a young age. 18 years old.
Ever since he's made 1 finals in 7 years.
Giannis won 1 ring, 2 MVPs, 1, FMVP, 1 DPOY in 7 years.
Jokic won 1 ring, 2 MVPs, 1 FMVP in 7 years.

If SGA makes the Finals (and since he already has an MVP) let alone if he wins, he leaves Luka clearly behind. He already is slightly ahead fter this season.

Luka is staying behind his generation competitors.
The time to do something is now.
The others aren't going to stop.

Agreed.

Shai and Ant are the future, not Luka. The playoffs are proof. If Luka can't win, the argument he is better is flawed.

[Lo Wang]

I’m not sure if SGA is a better player than Luka but he seems to be more effective. He doesn’t seem to force the game in a way that Luka does and is more efficient on the offensive end. His defense is miles better than Luka as well, not because he’s a great defender but because Luka is such a poor one.

This is a very good point.

Shai is like a laser cutting through the offense while Luka is more like the P Diddy of basketball: extremely versatile when utilizing his special talents, especially when baby oil is involved.

Just like him, it's all show.

Defense matters.

The sole focus on offense is no different than the diddler slipping a roofie in a drink: a misdirection.

Willingly, or unwillingly, something is going to hurt when reality hits, especially, y'know, where the light never shines.

[MrPainfulTruth]

SGA is the chosen face of the league and therefore gets the softest whistle since DWade flopped his way to a ring. Luka has no chance. He and Jokic, the beer-chugging partying balkan buddies, are not compatible with the image the league wants to have. And neither is Ant, for that matter.

[Lo Wang]

SGA is the chosen face of the league and therefore gets the softest whistle since DWade flopped his way to a ring. Luka has no chance. He and Jokic, the beer-chugging partying balkan buddies, are not compatible with the image the league wants to have. And neither is Ant, for that matter.

Damn that hits hard. Your handle speaks the truth.

[Ssj16]

I love SGA's game, so rhythmic, no panicking, playing to strengths. But I have to put the OP in place; SGA is not a generational talent like Luka

Talent alone doesn't make a career.
If that was the case Allen Iverson would have been one of the goats.

Luka achieved much at a young age. 18 years old.
Ever since he's made 1 finals in 7 years.
Giannis won 1 ring, 2 MVPs, 1, FMVP, 1 DPOY in 7 years.
Jokic won 1 ring, 2 MVPs, 1 FMVP in 7 years.

If SGA makes the Finals (and since he already has an MVP) let alone if he wins, he leaves Luka clearly behind. He already is slightly ahead fter this season.

Luka is staying behind his generation competitors.
The time to do something is now.
The others aren't going to stop.

Agreed.

Shai and Ant are the future, not Luka. The playoffs are proof. If Luka can't win, the argument he is better is flawed.

People love overating Ant. He's a good player but he hasn't even scratched the current top 5 as yet to be seriously be considered as the future face of the league. Not to mention you have Wemby up and coming.

[Archx]

Luka is staying behind his generation competitors.
The time to do something is now.
The others aren't going to stop.

Well, to be honest, Mavs had a perfect team to go all the way this year but then GM happened.

Mavs needed 6 years to finally build something, they needed 5 years to even find a center. In that time they lost an important piece in Brunson and even lost a disgruntled Carlisle who was fighting with entire front office.
Then they finally get all the pieces they need, their bench was stronger than some teams starting lineups, but instead of waiting out Nico jumps the gun.

Now Luka is literally starting from the bottom again with the Lakers who have exactly the same problems as those early Mavs teams.

But also, 5 ALL NBA 1st teams is not a joke a either.

[BadMofoPimp]

SGA is a better flopper than Luka.

[Ari_Emanuel]

It's weird, these playoffs have actually persuaded me that Luka's at worst the third best player (maybe 4th if Wemby takes that next step). I might've said SGA ahead earlier but now I feel the opposite.

Yep. This year, Shai was better, but full strength Luka is better than any Shai.

Hard to say that when you need to be hidden on defense or are otherwise hunted.

[levon]

It's weird, these playoffs have actually persuaded me that Luka's at worst the third best player (maybe 4th if Wemby takes that next step). I might've said SGA ahead earlier but now I feel the opposite.

Yep. This year, Shai was better, but full strength Luka is better than any Shai.

Hard to say that when you need to be hidden on defense or are otherwise hunted.

Eh, SGA hasn't been worldbeating these playoffs either on that end. It's time to adjust our expectations of defense for 26 year old heliocentric guards. I think we're overrating Shai's defense a bit because he's closest to that two-way elite play, and we're definitely overrating Edwards because of his two-way potential.

[EmpireFalls]

Shai is better than anyone in the world this season. Even Jokic. He outplayed him head to head.

[Slade3]

You can definitely make a case for Shai that he's at Luka's level. However, if you're talking both at their peak Luka is ahead of SGA.

[greekman]

sga is better than luka and jokic. ppl acting like j.williams, joe, caruso, dort and half a year of chet is a great supporting cast. luka had more in dallas than sga does in okc.

[Coach Carter]

Shai is better than anyone in the world this season. Even Jokic. He outplayed him head to head.

Shai is on a better team.

[ImmortalD24]

SGA is only increasing his gap at this point.. and SGA is definitely ahead.


I don't even think Luka is the best player on his own team.

[MMyhre]

You can definitely make a case for Shai that he's at Luka's level. However, if you're talking both at their peak Luka is ahead of SGA.

Lol. Luka with a terrible season but the league MVP soon to be in the finals has to make a case to just be on his level. You Luka homers are funny

[Lo Wang]

You can definitely make a case for Shai that he's at Luka's level. However, if you're talking both at their peak Luka is ahead of SGA.

Ya in a beer chugging competition.

The over-dependence on stats misses the big picture: rings.

If Shai wins multiple rings, he will be compared to Lebron and Curry, not Luka.

[Lo Wang]

Shai is better than anyone in the world this season. Even Jokic. He outplayed him head to head.

Shai is on a better team.

This is a common misconception. If a player elevated his teammates, that makes him much more impactful, not weaker.

Let me explain:

Shai is the modern blitz. By that, I mean his gravitational pull is so strong the entire team automatically collapses on him.

We saw this in prime Jordan, Shaq, Lebron, Curry, etc. The collapse opens the entire team, so they're basically shooting open shots and layups.

Undervaluing Shai by saying his teammates are too good misses a crucial element of his game: the blitz.

His teammates are good because of him, not the other way around.