You can't overlook Luka Doncic's competitive nature.
Luka Doncic loves playing basketball and isn't afraid to work hard throughout the NBA season. In fact, in an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio during All-Star Weekend, the Dallas Mavericks superstar said: Can be played for 48 minutes In-game if needed.
“I'm fine. [I can play] 48 [minutes] If necessary,” Doncic said. “Honestly, I like playing basketball. I can play No. 48 or No. 43.”
Doncic is used to receiving significant playing time this season. He is currently averaging a career-high 37.4 minutes per game. When Kyrie Irving was injured, Luka continued to play more minutes because Dallas needed to have him on the floor most of the time. But since Irving returned, Luka has been able to get more rest.
Still, Doncic plans to play as much as necessary.
Luka Doncic's toughness is crucial for Mavericks
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd previously cited Doncic's toughness and reminded the NBA world that Luka is “not soft.”
“he is not soft'' Kidd said of Doncic after the Mavericks' 112-104 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday. “That's for sure. He's one of the toughest kids I've had the opportunity to coach. And he's not afraid of a fight. If you look at his toughness, he's got a broken nose. He never complains. He loves to compete and even after getting stitches, he found a way to help his team win tonight.”
Luka's impact on the team is obviously extremely important. Anyone who follows the NBA knows that. He currently averages a league-leading 34.2 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
However, Luka sometimes faced backlash. Some analysts have criticized the Mavs star for arguing with referees too often. Some wonder if the superstar would want to play with him.
But if you ask most players in the NBA what they think about Doncic, they usually have nothing but positive things to say. He's well-respected throughout the league.
And certainly, his performance helps in that regard. But Luka Doncic's toughness and competitiveness cannot be ignored. Jason Kidd has been in the NBA long enough to see a lot of different players, so for him to speak so passionately about Luka's toughness speaks to Doncic's will to win.
The Mavericks are in a good spot right now. They entered the All-Star break with six straight wins. Luka Doncic and Dallas look to continue climbing the Western Conference standings.
