Luka Doncic and the Mavericks are going through a tough run as they sit 8th in the West. The Dallas Mavericks are 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Knowing the value of each game, while trying to make it out of the play-in position, the Mavs will have to step up.
Meanwhile, Doncic has been the most productive player in all their previous games. Luka Magic has averaged 35.8 points, 11.8 assists, and 11.2 rebounds in the last five games.
The 25-year-old has put the team on his back as he continues to dominate each night. Chandler Parsons, an ex-Mavericks player, accused Doncic of not including his teammates and getting things done himself. Apart from Doncic, Kyrie Irving has also contributed greatly, though still, the Mavs aren’t able to find the winning formula.
I think he is an unbelievable talent, he’s literally a guard version of Jokic, where he can do anything, he’s mesmerising with the basketball. But as a teammate, it’s a little exhausting watching the same s*** over and over again. And when you don’t win, it’s even magnified, like can we try something else?
Said Parsons
“I think [Luka Doncic] is an unbelievable talent, he’s literally a guard version of [Nikola] Jokic, where he can do anything…But as a teammate, it’s a little exhausting watching the same s*** over and over again.”@ChandlerParsons on Luka Doncic. pic.twitter.com/tZBT7sPXke
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 8, 2024
While counting assists is not the ideal way to judge a player’s unselfishness, Luka has been dominating in the same area. Though Doncic has indeed taken the scoring load all to himself, The Mavericks should try initiating their offense differently.
Luka Doncic has sufficient backup to use from
The Mavs have backup scorers like Tim Hardaway Jr., Derrick Jones Jr., and more. As seen from previous games and the availability of each player, Dallas has indeed exhausted their offense, using Doncic as the primary scorer.
Luka Doncic is vying to win the NBA league MVP, but the Dallas Mavericks might stop him from winningIrving being the veteran on the team, has taken the load lightly, facilitating the offense around Doncic himself.
On the other hand, if Irving were to take the offensive load not only during clutch situations, the team’s offense could be more vast and full of opportunities.
We saw a similar game during the 2022 postseason when Doncic went down with a calf injury. Though the Mavs had a different set of players at the time, the pattern cannot be ignored.
This time, the squad has enough backup to make up for Doncic’s absence. Dallas will have to use their bench to its full potential, taking off the load from Doncic on the offensive end. With just 19 games remaining for the Mavs, it’s the best they can try as they gear for their upcoming game against the Pistons.
