Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart is an NBA veteran hoping to put a winning touch on his franchise this season and help them return to the Playoffs. They’ll be hoping to challenge teams like the Dallas Mavericks led by Luka Doncic. Smart is intimately familiar with Doncic, recently revealing to ClutchPoints that he faced Luka when he was 16 while commenting on his rapid progression in the NBA.
“Oh man, just the way he’s came and demanded the league. I actually had the opportunity to play against Luka when he was 16. We went to Milan and he was on the Milan team. You know, at the time, you see him, he’s a 16-year-old kid. Doesn’t look how he looks now. You see him now, it’s like that’s not the same 16-year-old kid. But Luka is a great player, we all know that. We all know what he has been doing and can do in this league. His progression… He’s taking even bigger steps.”
Doncic has managed to get better almost every season of his NBA career, an impressive feat considering he was on All-NBA First Team as a rookie. He already has five All-NBA First Team appearances to his name and the now 25-year-old will be considered one of the MVP favorites this season.
Doncic averaged 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists last season, winning his first NBA scoring title and leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. While the Mavs came up short against the Boston Celtics, it was a massive step in Luka’s growth as a franchise-leading point guard who finally has the teammates he needs to compete for Championships.
Smart and the Grizzlies will be hoping to have a competitive season without injuries and the returns of players like Ja Morant, but it’ll be a massive task to overcome a team like the Mavericks when they’re led by Luka and his co-star Kyrie Irving.
Marcus Smart Thinks Kyrie Irving Put The Mavericks Over The Top
Smart spoke about the Mavericks success as a whole, mentioning that the acquisition of Kyrie was what put the team over the top into an outfit capable of making it to the NBA Finals.
“I thought it was great. I mean… Coming to Dallas nobody was expecting them to do what they did in the fashion that they did it. That shows a lot. Kai (Irving) came in and was a part of that process to get them there.”
“Obviously, you got Luka and those other guys, but to have Kai there is just a big advantage for them to help them get over that hump and get them to the next level. And that’s what they did… They didn’t win (a championship), but they got there. They figured out what it takes.”
Kyrie averaged 25.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists last season, playing strong basketball on both ends of the floor while complementing Doncic perfectly. Both backcourt players seemed run-down by the end of the season, with Kyrie going through a host of injuries earlier in the year.
With the addition of Klay Thompson and more, the Mavericks are looking locked and loaded to defend their West crown, but will have to go through teams like the Grizzlies to make that happen.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
