This has been a nightmare season for Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, as Luka’s almost historic form from this season is likely going to go to waste as the Mavs fail to qualify for the postseason.
Doncic has been heavily criticized after the Mavs collapsed in the last 2 months and spoke to the media about the reason his defense is not good before his next game against the Sacramento Kings.
“I’ve been playing basketball for 3 straight years. 4 weeks in between it was free. Sometimes it’s really hard for me to play really hard on both ends. But obviously, the defensive end I gotta be way better.”
Luka Doncic speaks out on his poor defense
“I've been playing basketball for 3 straight years. 4 weeks in between it was free. Sometimes it's really hard for me to play really hard on both ends. But obviously, the defensive end I gotta be way better.”
(h/t @ClutchPointsApp ) pic.twitter.com/TzcN5nPLgQ
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 4, 2023
Doncic carries an incredibly heavy load offensively and has never been regarded as a player in tip-top conditioning. The amount of work he does offensively has been limiting him defensively. If Kyrie Irving re-signs with the team, Doncic will be expected to pass some offensive responsibility to Irving and lock in on the defensive end.
Will Luka Doncic Ever Figure Out How To Be A Solid Defender?
For someone with as much ability as Luka Doncic, it’s surprising he is as poor defensively as he has been this season. His lack of effort is a massive point of concern, as Doncic tends to walk back on defense and fails to stop most players if he is guarding them one-on-one.
Doncic has shown flashes of defensive ability, as he did against the Phoenix Suns in Game 7 of the 2022 Playoffs. Even in the Mavs’ last loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Doncic put in the best defensive performance of his young career in the fourth quarter to clamp up not only Trae Young but also Dejounte Murray.
Luka has the IQ and ability to be a stronger defensive player, but his conditioning is a long way behind still. If this summer can help Luka refocus on his career, he may prioritize his gas tank to ensure he can go through the pressure of an 82-game season next year.
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