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God Luka is a total sieve on defense, can’t defend a parked car.

You need good POA and help defenders to pick up the slack on defense. Luka doesn’t defend the roll man, doesn’t close out, doesn’t help defend, gets blown by to oblivion when he’s on an island.

Pretty much need excellent versatile defenders alongside Luka that can also shoot 3s (including above the break), like KCP and Anunoby.

Then considering the fact that Luka doesn’t even try to stay onto his man, he needs an athletic big that can protect the rim at a high level and is. Since so much of his PnR threat is predicated on the big’s vertical spacing threat, this is a key facet as well. Mavs got lucky with this here in Lively.

Then you obviously need a great second option that can play off the ball. Luka starts panting and gasping for air because he’s fat and out of shape. Is too much of a whiner and complainer and needs another star that can assuage his angsts.

This is probably what you need at the minumum to build an actual contender with Luka as the head of the snake.

Murray-KCP-Luka-OG-Lively

That team is hard to construct and they easily blow through the second apron.


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KingofTheClay wrote:This is probably what you need at the minumum to build an actual contender with Luka as the head of the snake.

Murray-KCP-Luka-OG-Lively

TL,DR: Luka needs a comparably talented and well-suited roster to other NBA champions to contend.

Once again an overly dramatic sentiment. Dallas just built a Finals team around him that was solid but not spectacular by any means in terms of talent around Luka. That alone should be enough to dismiss the claim. This is also perfectly compatible with the belief that Luka needs to improve in certain regards to fully maximize his own as well as his team's potential.

If you make the WCF in your 4th year with entire wing and big rotation that is backup level (Bullock, DFS, Powell and Kleber), and make the finals in your 6th year in a VERY tough conference, you're very easy to build around.
If you start your career on a team that has traded its entire draft capital to get you and injury prune big, endure loss of the only bright spot in your FO acquisitions for nothing, you're very easy to build around.

Luka isn't a sieve on defense, Luka had videos made about his defense these PO like this



But Luka is PF sized, and is below average athlete at that, expecting him to guard on the perimeter like a NBA wing is asinine.

I think Luka could easily contend with this roster.

Derrick White
Jrue Holiday
Luka Doncic
Jaylen Brown
Kristaps Porzingis

Bench: Al Horford

Just sayin'

Luka isn't a good defender, but he is not as bad as the OP says. The fact that the Mavs finished out as the 2nd best team in the NBA undermines his point.

Most teams feature one or two defense-first guys who are limited offensively. In most cases, Dallas can put Luka on one of those guys and things work out well enough. (It helps that Luka is huge. It's harder to hide a diminutive guy who plays poor D, like Trae.) At worst, one can argue that Luka's defensive limitations means that there are some teams where the matchups do not favor Dallas - teams like Boston, where there is no where to hide. But bad matchups are a problem most teams have. The NBA is a game of rock/paper/scissors. You can't match up well with everyone.

Mavrelous wrote:If you make the WCF in your 4th year with entire wing and big rotation that is backup level (Bullock, DFS, Powell and Kleber), and make the finals in your 6th year in a VERY tough conference, you're very easy to build around.
If you start your career on a team that has traded its entire draft capital to get you and injury prune big, endure loss of the only bright spot in your FO acquisitions for nothing, you're very easy to build around.

Luka isn't a sieve on defense, Luka had videos made about his defense these PO like this

Watch on YouTube

Watch on YouTube

But Luka is PF sized, and is below average athlete at that, expecting him to guard on the perimeter like a NBA wing is asinine.

Luka is a total sieve. Did you see him against Boston?

Couldn’t defend anyone. Even 34 year old Jrue or Sam Hauser, slipping as the roll man or popping to the perimeter, Luka standing around like his feet in mud. Bostons entire offensive game plan was to attack him on isos or get him involved in screen action and the guy was a sitting duck. I’m watching replays of the games and it feels like he conceded 75% of Bostons points.

The Mavs never felt like real contenders. They would have most likely lost to the Clips if Kawhi were reasonably healthy. Beat up on two rookie teams.

And How’s he easy to build around?
You absolutely need elite wing defenders with versatile shot diets and an athletic big that can protect the rim to make it work with Luka.

Yeah you said it yourself. He can’t defend on the perimeter like a wing. But what can he do on that end? Too fat unathletic and no vertical to protect the rim. Can’t guard guards. It’s 5 on 4 every time.


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Tim Lehrbach wrote:

KingofTheClay wrote:This is probably what you need at the minumum to build an actual contender with Luka as the head of the snake.

Murray-KCP-Luka-OG-Lively

TL,DR: Luka needs a comparably talented and well-suited roster to other NBA champions to contend.

Steph got it done with an average roster in 2022. Nuggets had some holes in their 2023 roster in terms of rim protection. 2020 Lakers had an average roster after their top 2.

The roster above is otherworldly and elite in every way. No real holes. They beat 2024 Boston. Swap one of those guys out for a budget version and suddenly they become exploitable becomes Luka augments their defensive weaknesses.


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Colbinii wrote:I think Luka could easily contend with this roster.

Derrick White
Jrue Holiday
Luka Doncic
Jaylen Brown
Kristaps Porzingis

Bench: Al Horford

Just sayin'

So all Luka needs is some transcendent GM to craft the perfectly optimized roster in modern basketball?

Swap in Scottie Barnes or Siakam and they still sleepwalk their way to the title.


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KingofTheClay wrote:

Colbinii wrote:I think Luka could easily contend with this roster.

Derrick White
Jrue Holiday
Luka Doncic
Jaylen Brown
Kristaps Porzingis

Bench: Al Horford

Just sayin'

So all Luka needs is some transcendent GM to craft the perfectly optimized roster in modern basketball?

Swap in Scottie Barnes or Siakam and they still sleepwalk their way to the title.


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I didn't say this is all he needs, I am saying he could easily win with this roster.

I think he could win with his current cast, the 2023 Denver supporting cast equivalent, ect.

KingofTheClay wrote:Luka is a total sieve. Did you see him against Boston?

Couldn’t defend anyone. Even 34 year old Jrue or Sam Hauser, slipping as the roll man or popping to the perimeter, Luka standing around like his feet in mud. Bostons entire offensive game plan was to attack him on isos or get him involved in screen action and the guy was a sitting duck. I’m watching replays of the games and it

He was also injured, after long run and taking pain killing shots...
He defended well against the Clippers and even then when he was out of breath in 4th Q in game 4, the scheme was to allow dribble penetration and funnel Harden to help, a scheme that backfired.

KingofTheClay wrote:The Mavs never felt like real contenders. They would have most likely lost to the Clips if Kawhi were reasonably healthy. Beat up on two rookie teams.

And How’s he easy to build around?
You absolutely need elite wing defenders with versatile shot diets and an athletic big that can protect the rim to make it work with Luka.

Yeah you said it yourself. He can’t defend on the perimeter like a wing. But what can he do on that end? Too fat unathletic and no vertical to protect the rim. Can’t guard guards. It’s 5 on 4 every time.

Mavs can't dictate how you feel, they did finish the RS very strong, and 2nd best record in the last 20-30 games, had great defense (with Luka on the floor), and enough offense, beat all 3 teams ahead of them in less than 7,.
Luka reached the Finals with DJJ and PJ Washington as wings, good players, not players that are impossible to replicate...

Most importantly, Mavs defended the Celtics the best in the PO, they failed because they couldn't score, and you're out here claiming he can't win because of his defese.