Welcome to the B-Ball Brunch. Enjoy reading about my NBA musings about last night during your brunch hours.
Luka Doncic got a triple-double for the second straight game.
(PHOTO CREDIT: David Liam Kyle/Getty Images.)
The Dallas Mavericks are off to a pretty good 4-2 start. Considering their losses were close against teams who are predicted to do well (Portland by two and the Lakers in overtime), we might have to start taking these guys seriously.
One dude we REALLY have to take seriously is Luka Doncic. I mean, if you haven’t already. Let’s see the basic stats:
26.7 points per game (9th in the league)
10.3 rebounds (13th)
9.5 assists (3rd)
1.5 steals
And, yeah, he had a bad game against the Nuggets (12-4-5) but he hit a clutch basket to put them up three with 47 seconds left (which became the final tally for that contest). His last two games were incredible triple-doubles (31-13-15 against the Lakers and then 29-14-15 against the Cavaliers). Doncic, who has 3 trip-dubs in 6 games, is making this look all so easy in his sophomore season.
We all should’ve seen this coming, right? His rookie year was exemplary with averages of 21.2 points, 7.8 boards, and 6.0 assists as he came away with the Rookie of the Year award. He won EuroLeague MVP in their 2017-18 season at 19 years old and yet a lot of critics scoffed at this because it’s “not the NBA.” Still, his talent was right in front of us but yet he was picked third (after DeAndre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III) by the Hawks (which then traded him for Trae Young and next year’s first-rounder, who turned out to be Cam Reddish). And, yeah, Trae Young is doing amazing now and they will forever be linked. But Luka Doncic is just undeniable.
In the way that Luka plays, he just looks so at home as the orchestrator of the offense. It’s almost like he’s getting whatever he wants whether it’s looking for his own shot or finding a teammate for the bucket.
He’s not perfect (no one is). Doncic has to take the next step on defense. And the Lakers did their best to push him around and you know it took a toll on him (Luka even took a blow to the head and we suspected he was concussed). He’s such a big guy (6’7″ and 230 pounds) that he’ll get used to the pounding. He’ll never have the lateral quickness as most speedy guards do so he’ll never become Gary Payton on defense. But as mentioned, he’s such a big guy and he has great basketball IQ that he might turn himself into a non-liability on that end.
But my gosh, he is such a whiz kid on offense. While Kristaps Porzingis continues to adjust back to where he was before his devastating ACL injury, Doncic is pretty much Kim Smith in the start of the Bye Bye Bye video (yes, the one by *NSYNC); he has total control when he has the basketball. Luka is crafty around the basket. He can change speeds on players as he drives to the hoop. His three-pointer isn’t the greatest yet but his stepback three is as deadly as they come. He’s a fantastic rebounder. He’ll find the open man. He has lightning-quick handles. He’s so strong that he can post and punk guards smaller than him. He’s baneful around the passing lanes.
Luka Doncic is way beyond your second-year NBA player. He is a superstar. And I won’t argue with you if you think he’s already a Top 10 NBA player. The Mavericks are already 4-2 and ahead of schedule. We pretty much know the reason why. Doncic doesn’t exactly have the sexiest names on his team outside of the unicorn and yet they’re 1st in offensive rating (113.4 points per 100 possessions).
And you know the best thing about this for Dallas (and us basketball fans)? He is just getting started. I mean, he’s only 20 years old. What were you doing at 20? Well, I was just giddy seeing the Sega DreamCast. And 20-year-old Doncic is making the best professional basketball players look like fools.
Bullet Passes
*The resurrection of Dwight Howard continues. Okay, he didn’t die but his career is out of the valley of the shadow of death. He continues to be a boon on the defensive end (he’s helped the Lakers become the #1 defense in the league as the team is only allowing 96.5 points per 100 possessions). Against the Spurs, he went for 14 points, 13 boards, and one mean alley-oop dunk that put Jakob Poeltl on his booty.
Howard doesn’t get as many shots as he used to but when he does, he makes it count. This season, he is 19 for 24, which is a 79.2 percent clip! It could be a matter of time before he takes over JaVale McGee‘s starting spot.
Oh, yeah. The Lakers are 5-1, which is the best in the West. When was the last time that’s been said about the Lakers?
*The Pacers have won their last three after starting out 0-3. They beat the Bulls without Victor Oladipo (been out since last year), Myles Turner (ankle injury), and Domantas Sabonis (calf contusion). But their big acquisitions have come through for them. Malcolm Brogdon is as consistent as they come and has thrived in an even bigger role. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 9.7 assists (2nd in the league). While Jeremy Lamb isn’t shooting well from three, he’s pacing (I’m so good at this) the team with 16.8 points and 6.8 boards per. T.J. Warren came on with 26 points in their last game. T.J. Leaf also had a double-double in that same game with 13-15.
If they can hold the fort until their big guns come back, Indy could be something.
*While Kawhi Leonard continues to do his thing game in and game out (30 points in a win against Utah), that Clippers bench continues to be an embarrassment of riches. I assume Paul George will replace Patrick Patterson in the starting line-up when he comes back so if you add Patterson to the bench, the Clippers might have the best 1-10 rotation in the league. It’s chic to say the Lakers could win it all but the Clippers depth is terrifying.
*You probably won’t win if your team starts out like this:
Your eyes are not deceiving you. The Heat led by 41 points after nearly 16 minutes of game time. Miami led Houston, 46-14, after one quarter.
Is that what happens when you give an extra hour of Miami nightlife to James Harden and company?
Watch This Play
De’Aaron Fox getting it done on both sides of the court. Peep the windmill, though.
(VIDEO CREDIT: Bleacher Report.)
The quick brown Fox jumped over the lazy dogs.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
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