The Dallas Mavericks continue their push toward the NBA postseason, winning nine of their past 10 games and moving into sixth place in the Western Conference standings. Luka Doncic is putting up historic numbers every night while taking everything opposing defenses can throw at him.
In 63 games this season, Doncic averaged a league-best and career-high 33.9 points, 9.1 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and a career-high 37.4 percent from 3-point range. It is recorded. . Doncic finds a way to dominate the game no matter what defense is deployed against him, whether it's from deep, from mid-range or in the paint.
About the latest episode of mind the gameJJ Redick and LeBron James discuss NBA players getting blitzed in pick-and-rolls, but James couldn't understand why Doncic gets blitzed the most in the league.
Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
Kevork Jansezian/Getty Images
“Luka is the top five players in pick-and-roll blitzes this year, and the next four will be together with nearly 200 more blitzes,” Reddick told James. “Interesting, I looked up the blitzing numbers from the tracking era and…actually, I've never been in the top 20 for blitzing against pick-and-rolls. Why do you think that is?”
James replied with a smile. “Because I make all the right reads. It's as simple as that. Teams know they can't blitz me in the pick-and-roll.”
“What's interesting about Luka is, I think he's one of the few players in this era who can make every pass against a double team. James is one of them, you're definitely one of them. Luka is one of them.” Reddick. said. “So why do you hit him?”
“I don't know,” James said. “They're surrounding him, too, especially when it comes to shooting. That doesn't make sense. … Because he's going to make all the reads, and once Tim Hardaway hits six or seven 3s, it's over. “Kyrie's going to do what Kyrie does.” “Luka's going to do his thing. When Tim Hardaway hits six or seven threes, or in our game earlier this year, he blitzes Luka. We broke it and Dante Exum hit five 3s, six 3s…Yeah.” (James finished his answer laughing at how impossible that was).
The Mavs' 132-96 win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night is a perfect example of what James is talking about. Doncic dominated the first half with 28 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and Kyrie Irving took over in the second half with 24 points and eight assists.
But it was 3-pointers from Tim Hardaway Jr. and PJ Washington that gave Dallas the victory over Sacramento. The duo combined for 36 points, going 8-12 from deep. If teams continue to blitz Doncic and the Mavs' role players produce at that level heading into the playoffs, we could be in for a special postseason run from Dallas.
