Because the Dallas Mavericks proceed to surge forward of the NBA postseason – they’ve received 9 of their final 10 video games and have climbed into sixth-place within the Western Convention standings – Luka Doncic is placing up historic numbers regardless of taking every thing opposing defenses can throw at him on a night-to-night foundation.
By way of 63 video games performed this seaon, Doncic is averaging a league-best and career-high 33.9 factors to go along with 9.1 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.5 steals whereas capturing 48.7 p.c from the sector and a career-high 37.4 p.c from 3-point vary. Whether or not it is from deep, mid-range or within the paint, Doncic finds a approach to dominate video games it doesn’t matter what defensive coverages are deployed in opposition to him.
On the newest episode of Thoughts The Sport, J.J. Redick and LeBron James focus on NBA gamers getting blitzed off pick-and-rolls, and James could not make sense of why Doncic will get blitzed essentially the most within the league by far.
“So this 12 months, prime 5 gamers which have been blitzed within the pick-and-roll: Luka by loads – virtually 200 extra blitzes, after which the following 4 guys are bunched collectively,” Redick stated to James. “It is fascinating, I appeared up your blitzing numbers within the monitoring period … you have by no means truly been within the prime 20 in blitzes in opposition to pick-and-rolls. Why do you assume that’s?”
James responded with a smile: “As a result of I make all the fitting reads. It is that easy. Groups know they cannot blitz me within the pick-and-roll.”
“What’s fascinating about Luka, I feel … he is one of many handful of men on this period that may make any go in opposition to the double-team. James is one in every of them, you might be for positive. Luka is on of them,” Redick stated. “So why are you blitzing him?”
“I do not perceive it,” James stated. “Particularly with the capturing they encompass him with too. It does not make sense. … As a result of he is gonna make each learn, and when Tim Hardaway is hitting six or seven 3s, you are completed. Kyrie’s gonna do what Kyrie does. Luka’s gonna do what he does. Once you get Tim Hardaway hitting six or seven 3s, or in our sport earlier this 12 months, we blitzed Luka and Dante Exum hit 5, six 3s… yeah.” (James ended his reply by laughing at how unattainable it’s).
The Mavs’ 132-96 blowout win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night time is a main instance of what James is speaking about. Doncic dominated within the first half and ending with 28 factors, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, and Kyrie Irving took over within the second half, ending with 24 factors and eight assists.
Nevertheless, it was the 3-point capturing from Tim Hardaway Jr. and P.J. Washington that allowed Dallas to blow the doorways off Sacramento. The duo mixed to go 8-12 from deep and a complete of 36 factors. If groups are going to proceed to blitz Doncic, and the Mavs’ function gamers produce at that degree heading into the playoffs, we is likely to be in for a particular postseason run from Dallas.