Luka Doncic Discussion: Lean Mean Slovenian Scoring Machine

Skip Bayless is the worst of the talking heads. He hates Luka for some reason. It is also absolutely ridiculous the narrative that Luka doesn't play defense. That was Tim McMahon that started that one along with Nico. He was desperate to become the next Skip Bayless.

I have to admit I was wrong about JJ. The dude can coach. I have a feeling LeBron comes back at a lower salary. I feel like we are building something special here.

One thing you will learn about Luka is that he takes every bit of this kind of stuff as motivation. Remember that.

 

A while back, I asked you if you felt that Luka had been getting harsher treatment from the media since he joined the Lakers, and you said no. Have you changed your mind in the meantime, or has this animosity toward Luka actually always been there—or been there for a long time—and I just didn’t notice it from afar? I’ve always had the impression that Luka is widely liked and respected, and basically every season he started out as one of the favorites for MVP.

I’m asking because your perspective as a former Mavs fan is certainly different. As longtime Lakers fans, we often feel that the Lakers are belittled in various ways by many people in the media, but I’ve always wondered how much of that is true and how much is just our bias.

 

lol the idea that we're better without him...i just...my goodness.

as for the bias, it's been there since day one. it's part of why he somehow went third in his draft. anyone serious about basketball could see that this was an all-time great in the making, and nobody thought marvin bagley or ayton was that. it's just stories people want to tell, much the same as SGA being a great defender and luka being a bad one. it fits a stereotype, and it's the story i wish to tell, so i will tell it.

 

Jokic and Luka

1A
1B

 

that's probably how i had it until this year, when wemby's offense started to catch up with his defense. he's probably already the league's best player, weird as that seems.

but jokic, luka, and giannis are all right there. i have luka and jokic ahead of giannis.

i have sga right behind all of them.

the dropoff after that is fairly substantial to your cunningham/brown/tatum/mitchell/AD (still?)/lebron (still!)/kawhi tier.

 

Yeah, Jokic, Luka & Wemby all 1ABC, depending on health and who is peaking. If all 3 healthy and peaking, it's too tough to call, would have to see playoff series imo. Hopefully we get some good ones this post season.

The April 4 SA-Denver game was amazing. Went to OT with Denver winning by 2. Wemby with 34, 18 & 7, with 5 blocks. Jokic with 40, 8 & 13, with 3 blocks. Supporting casts close-ish enough, team stats close-ish enough, but Denver shot better from 3.

Hoping for Wemby to be healthy and to get more games like that. And then for Lakers to shock the world, and Luka to face off against the Wemby-Jokic winner.

 

Sad part is that Luka was actually good on defense before he got hurt. yeah box score metrics and all but just look at thos steals number when they go from league average to best in the league that doesn't happen in a vacuum. Completely different player frankly on that end

 

Sports media: Are the Lakers better without LeBron? Should the Lakers trade him? Is he even worth a roster spot? Luka + Reaves don't need him!

Also sports media: Do the Lakers play better without Luka + Reaves?

Yet, no mention of the other teams. Just push Lakers stories because they would run out of clicks.

 

i think you get this about embiid sometimes maybe?

but denver and the spurs both won at 50+ win clips without jokic and wemby, respectively this year, and you'd think they were dragging a bunch nobodies to 60 wins or something.