Professional basketball players in the NBA come and go. Phenomenal hoopsters seldom present themselves in the limelight with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James to name a few. Then comes the latest of them all, the unguardable Luka Doncic.
The Unguardable Luka Doncic
Doncic landed his first professional contract with Spain’s Real Madrid for the U16 team. He was the MVP of the Spain Championships at the age of 13. The 6’7” Slovenian then moved to the U18 where he led his team to another Championship with MVP honors.
He then led his team into the EuroLeague Championship. Doncic averaged 16.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists over 33 games. He is the unguardable Luka Doncic. The Slovenian became the youngest player to be in the Euroleague Final Four MVP and EuroLeague MVP. He did this feat at the early age of 18 years old.
The Difficulties of Containing Doncic
The accolades Doncic had at an early age marked his phenomenal rising trajectory to greatness. But he has yet to prove himself by leading the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA Championship Title. Above all, he is doing it with an average of 33.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and 1.2 steals through the first and second playoff rounds.
Doncic’s basketball mental maturity allows him to score at a high level and can set his teammates to have open looks and produce points for the team. His plays are similar to Elgin Baylor and Earl Monroe where he can make shots at high degrees of difficulty. Presently, Doncic delivers an average of 28.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.7 dimes per game.
Predictability is one trait that most professional players have. But with the unguardable Luka Doncic snaking towards the basket, the trait confuses defenders. In fact, players are scared of what Doncic can do when he drives to score. Stephen Curry is a predictable player but he is one player who is difficult to defend anyway.
Guarding Luka Doncic is Very Tough
Patrick Beverley, one of the top defensive players in the NBA, admits to the unguardable Luka Doncic. That is to say, he is very physical but can maneuver any time to score or find open players. Beverley reiterates that Doncic has a high basketball IQ and also takes swipes on him.
In Game 7 against the Phoenix Suns, Doncic displayed brilliance in his domination with more points than Devin Booker and more assists than Chris Paul. Consequently, his statistics made the pull-away with as many as 44 points, thereby clinching a spot in the Western Conference Finals.
Can the Warriors Stop Luka Doncic?
As the Dallas Mavericks turned another page in the Western Conference playoffs, the main issue lingers. Is there anyone from the Dubs who can defend the unguardable Luka Doncic? Though he missed the first two games in the first round, he still stamped his dominance over Utah. Doncic hauled 29.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists while shooting 46.8% from the floor, and 36.7% three-pointers against the Jazz.
In the semi-final rounds, Doncic recorded 315 total points, 101 total rebounds, and 66 total assists. Consequently, he became just the third player in NBA history to record 300p/100r/50a after 10 games in the postseason. The Slovenian joined Oscar Robertson (1963) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2022).
The Golden State Warriors will have their hands full against unguardable Luka Doncic. The answer still hangs in the air as to how they can contain him. But one way to stop Dallas from its domination is to contain the forces around Doncic. Firstly, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Jalen Brunson complement Doncic’s capabilities. And most importantly, Spencer Dinwiddie off-the-bench can pitch in for the Mavs. These are the controllable parameters the Warriors can accomplish in the Finals of the Western Conference against Dallas.
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