• Gilbert Arenas seems to have a problem with how Trae Young and Luka Doncic are perceived in the NBA
• Arenas believes fans would treat Doncic better if he did what Young did against the Knicks in 2021
• The Hawks guard agreed with Arenas’ assessment
One of the best player rivalries in the NBA today is the one between Luka Doncic and Trae Young after a draft day trade in 2018 ensured the pair would be linked forever.
Despite similar levels of success so far, Doncic is hailed as a much better player than Trae. This treatment has annoyed many fans and experts, especially after the Mavs missed the 2023 play-in tournament.
Gilbert Arenas stoked the flame on Trae Young’s podcast, saying that if Doncic did what Trae achieved against the Knicks in the 2021 playoffs, he’d be treated like a God. Young agreed with this sentiment.
Gilbert Arenas: “You know what’s crazy about that New York series? If that was any other player, if Luka did that to the New York Knicks, they would be a God.”
Trae Young: “I know.”
Gilbert Arenas: “You know what's crazy about that New York series? If that was any other player–if Luka did that to NY Knicks–they would be a God”
Trae Young: “I know”
(h/t @NBA_NewYork )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 10, 2023
Trae averaged 29.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, as the Hawks eliminated the Knicks 4-1 in an incredibly entertaining series.
Doncic hasn’t played New York in the playoffs, but he did have one of the greatest individual performances in modern history with a 60-point, 21-rebound, and 10-assist performance against the Knicks in December to pull off an incredible comeback win.
Comparing Luka Doncic And Trae Young After Five Seasons
Since being drafted, Doncic has averaged 27.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game for the Mavericks. He won Rookie of the Year in 2018 and has since made four consecutive All-NBA First Team appearances. He is also a four-time All-Star and has a playoff scoring average of 32.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists in 28 games.
Luka has made three postseason trips, with two ending in the first round to the Clippers and one ending with a shock Western Conference Finals run in 2022, where they lost to the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors.
Young has averaged 25.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists for the Hawks. He is a two-time All-Star and has made one All-NBA Third Team. His playoff scoring average is 26.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists in 27 games, as he has also made three appearances in the postseason.
Identically to Luka, two of his runs have ended in the First Round, while their 2021 run ended in the Conference Finals at the hands of the eventual champions, the Milwaukee Bucks.
Just like Young has the Knicks’ series in 2021 as his signature series, Luka can claim his individual dismantling of the league-best Phoenix Suns in the 2022 Playoffs as a signature series as well. He averaged 32.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game in that iconic seven-game series as the Mavs overturned a 3-2 deficit to dominate the Suns in Game 7.
So far, it’s fair to say Doncic has an edge over Young. Though the Hawks star is treated worse by the media than what his talent dictates, Luka has proven so far that he’s the better prospect.
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