Great to see some national recognition for Luka’s defense. Crazy that by some measures Luka has performed as a top-50 iso defender and 2nd best post defender.
**8. Luka Doncic’s … defense?**
It’s hard to know what to make of the [Dallas Mavericks](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/dal/dallas-mavericks) other than they’ve done well to be 23-16 despite streams of injuries. Doncic and [Kyrie Irving](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6442/kyrie-irving) have appeared in only 20 games together. The current wounded list includes [Dante Exum](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3102528/dante-exum), [Dereck Lively II](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4683688/dereck-lively-ii), [Maxi Kleber](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2960236/maxi-kleber) and [Grant Williams](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066218/grant-williams). Doncic seems to be limping every game; he sat out Thursday night against New York.
Amid the training room churn, Dallas has crept to 18th in points allowed per possession. The schedule has contributed; its past 15 games have featured several punchless, injury-ravaged opponents.
But three of Dallas’s most important defenders — Lively, Exum and Williams — have all missed games. Williams has a lingering ankle issue; the Mavs need his 3-and-D skill set to reach their ceiling. (One benefit of Lively’s injury is the Mavs exploring small-ball lineups with Williams and [Derrick Jones Jr](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3936099/derrick-jones-jr). as the only big men. Kleber would add versatility if he can get healthy. [Josh Green](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432811/josh-green) and [Jaden Hardy](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4868423/jaden-hardy) have shown signs of life with additional minutes.)
If the Mavs hover at league average on defense, they will be a dangerous playoff team — a threat to win a round, for sure — provided they score at a top-5-ish rate. Their offense has slipped to No. 10. They will be better than that; the Mavs have poured in 120 points per 100 possessions with Doncic and Irving together — equivalent to Milwaukee’s No. 3-ranked offense — and reserve units will hum when coach Jason Kidd can keep one star on the floor.
The jury is out on their defense, but Doncic is giving more on that end than ever. There are still possessions and games where Doncic’s feet look heavy and he just kind of lurches around. The Mavs stash him on weaker offensive players.
But Doncic is engaged. His ability to read the game on offense translates to defense; he anticipates ball movement patterns. He’s switching onto all kinds of players, and sliding his feet:
\*video clip of Luka switching on to Curry, moving his feet, cutting off a drive, forcing & heavily contesting a fadeaway long 2\*
Some leeway from the referees helps, but that’s Stephen Curry! Opponents have scored only 0.83 points per possession on isolations against Doncic — 49th among 320 guys who have defended at least 20 such plays, per Second Spectrum. He’s even stouter on the block; opponents have managed 0.533 points per possession directly out of post-ups against Doncic — second lowest among players who have guarded at least 20 such plays.
Doncic is a good rebounder and has remained committed to rushing the ball up and flinging hit-ahead passes. The Mavs — a walk-it-up team for most of Doncic’s career — are eighth in pace. Keep an eye on these guys.
by TuckEverlasting89
3 Comments
DPOY
If we’re hovering around league average defense in the playoffs, we’re more than a threat to win a round.
If he wasn’t limping all the time and could give the effort constantly he’d be considered a good defender, I believe