Luka Doncic Discussion: Lean Mean Slovenian Scoring Machine

lol, nothing's going over anyone's heads, and again, nobody said reaves could never be traded. you're just making up stuff. people have said that paying him his max would be a terrible mistake, though. and i'm not sure what conclusion to draw from that other than you should either a) let him walk in FA if he gets such an offer (he will), or b) work a sign and trade immediately (which i don't think is as easy as some have indicated).

if we all agree that he's just going to get paid his market value this summer, and we'll see what happens...that's...basically exactly what reaves's proponents would have said at the beginning?

so the argument is market value, and it's pretty clear the market value for someone like reaves is his max. if he signs for below it, we got a discount.

 

Just trying to invoke multiple emotions out of my fellow laker fans

 

can't remember which threads contain these conversations, so i'll just put this here:

https://www.theringer.com/2026/05/14/nba/nba-injuries-leg-calf-hamstring-achilles-data



all sorts of theories, but here's ron adams:

article goes on to highlight the stepback and eurostep as particularly problematic, though i'm still not as sold on the stepback being the prinicipal culprit. i think it's the aggressive closeout attack, sort of on both ends, and for similar physiological reasons as those cited for these other two moves. the game is all drive and kick, and that's a lot of explosion from a standstill for both offense and defense.

anyway, his conclusion is that we need fewer games/more rest, but i'm also not sure that would solve it. it would help, of course, but i really think it's a style of play thing that isn't going away.

 

Super interesting analysis, nice stuff!

 

Bad medical staffs like Lakers.

 

Soft players

 

I don't think it is as complicated as some are making it. With new stressors on the body, exercises need to be incorporated for those particular moves. Weight lifting develops powerful muscles and are being used in a way the body isn't ready for. Practice the moves at slower speeds, increasing incrementally until reaching full power and speed. Ten calf raises every two hours you are awake( raise onto the toes and when you come down lift the toes and hold two seconds, repeat), hold the full squat position for an accumulative 30 minutes a day and walk backward a half mile a day and presto, these kind of injuries practically disappear. Must be done year around to be fully affective Don't bother trying to tell me it doesn't work until you have tried it for at least a few months...lol.

 

I imagine it might be a bit more complicated considering it's hurting multi-billion businesses and they haven't figure it out yet

 

well, yes, but the point is that these are becoming more frequent (see article).

 

That was sarcasm above …. just in case.

 

oh i knew that--i just didn't think that lakerjones was being sarcastic.

now, if there were data suggesting that hamstring injuries clustered at certain time points...that would also be interesting. but the analysis there suggests that the amount of soft tissue leg injuries is on the rise over time.

there are a few possible theories.

1. soft players (mental): these injuries were always here, and we just rubbed dirt on them and/or didn't have imaging to detect them.
2. soft players (physical): modern training techniques are flawed or inferior.
3. different game: the actual physical motions involved in the game are different due to different strategies.
4. bigger/faster opponents: same game, just everyone's huge and fast so you have to exert more even when you yourself are huge and fast. collapse ensues.

there are probably more, but it's a matter of which thing is a) the most influential and b) the most addressable.

the author of the article is probably right that just more rest and fewer games addresses all of it at once, but it's an expensive experiment when it may not actually solve the problem. like, if it's #3, you'd be better off with some sort of rule change than rest, right? like if it's really just stop doing stepbacks, then maybe having them be travels like they were when i was a whippersnapper is the answer. i don't think that's it, but this is why we want to know exact causes.

/research methods lecture.

 

That mind set is the problem, it is always a bit more complicated, therefore the ego dismisses the easy answer right in front of you. At gyms, and weight lifting particularly, people train in a very controlled way. Basketball is not controlled. The body is twisted, turned by quick, sometimes awkward angles and powerful push offs. 3D performances need 3D training. To stay injury free, the body needs to be trained in less than perfect situations. Bear crawls, farmer's carry over uneven terrains works great. As the article stated, basketball has evolved, the training for it needs to as well. It really is that simple. It is only as complicated as we make it.

 

1-3.

 

I'm amazed how simple it is. Thanks for breaking it down, very enlightening

 

Always glad to enlighten someone and uncomplicate their life. No payment required.

 

Been doing this 30 minutes at a time for years, not 15, the two exercises combined. Photo courtesy of my wife.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-routines/fit-15-bear-crawl-farmers-carry/

 

I think we are seeing so many soft tissue injuries due to the players doing so much more cutting with step backs and all of that now. That combined with the training staffs not catching up to the players. Look at the Knicks. Even with Thibbs there running players into the ground they haven't dealt with a ton of injuries. They have Casey Smith as their head trainer. He is the best there is. When he was in Dallas they never had injury problems. Nico fired him to perform a show of his strength to Luka (Casey and Luka had a great relationship). Dallas immediately started dropping players to injuries.

The game is just more fast paced now with the running out on the break bringing a higher pace. Then, combine that with the step backs, cutting, and strain on those calfs and hamstrings and you'll have injuries if you don't have a top notch training staff.

 

Walter needs to put his money to use by doubling Casey Smith and his staff's salaries to bring them here. Would obv be a Luka supported move.

 

I would HIGHLY support that move.