Bledsoe is nothing special, but so far has been more consistent than Porzingis and Middleton did play in 10 out of 16 games. Also I expect Giannis to play like he is playing even without Middleton. On other hand, no one expected the Mavs to be this good and Luka ing everyone in his second season.
^I did bruh, I expected Doncic to up his game to carry the Mavs to a playoff berth after an nba season's worth of conditioning. I would guess the equivalent of non-vanilla posters in the Mavs forum would have also called it. I also expect an mvp trophy within the next two seasons.
yea i could also see them be 8th seed, but him averaging 30, 10 and 10 no one saw coming.
I don't know if he's the best. Have to see how he does in the playoffs. But I think he's the mvp 16 games in. Not many expected the Mavs to make the playoffs. But they're sitting 3rd in the western conference right now. And Luka is putting up monster numbers. Lebron has AD, Giannis is playing in a much weaker conference and Harden's Rockets record not that good. So 16 game in, my MVP is Luka.
[double post]
It's his 3ball that ups his ppg. What did Dirk average for his sop re year? His era didn't value the 3ball as much. Both of them were euroleague mvps. Also, Westbrook manufactured a triple-double season which the league then rewarded with a player award. That gave younger stars who wanted that level of acclaim and contract bonuses a blueprint to follow.
Anyone paying attention since his Euroleague days knew the greatness that Doncic was about to bring to the league, tbh.
It's not just the 3ball increasing players ppg this era. Pacing has gone up meaning more possessions and more rebounds available. Big men are also on the perimeter more than ever before meaning there are more uncontested rebounds for guards. There's a reason triple-doubles have skyrocketed this era. And it's not because players have gotten better. Softer defense and 3ball increases their ppg and pacing and big men at the perimeter allows more uncontested rebounds.
Maybe not best just yet. But I’d put him on the short list of guys I’d put in the conversation. Bron, Freak, Klaw. Doncic has already put himself in that category. A consistent season and playoff performance playing this well would probably cement it. But I don’t have a huge gripe with anyone already thinking he’s the best, or in the group of handful of guys who should be considered. He’s certainly played like it so far this year.
Luka = the real Arn
Stats are inflated in today's NBA, but he's as skilled as anyone else. Top 5 player for sure.
The guy is scary good...
If you're starting a team today, because of his age he's by far the no brainer pick. However, I'd say Bron, Kawhi, and Giannis (and Healthy KD), are better because of experience. Being a top 5 player at 20 though is pretty insane. I don't imagine more than a couple 20 year olds have ever had any stretch of games with a 30+ PER, and here is Luka with a 33 PER 16 games into the season.
Doncic is a generational talent, regardless of location, but I think competing professionally from such a young age definitely accounts for some of the poise and composure he plays with for his age. Even more reason to dismantle the NCAA/AAU stranglehold on talent and let kids start competing professionally early.
Ive never seen anyone run the pick and roll as good as doncic.
Not curry, not harden, not lebron, not durant, not kawhi, not giannis..
He might be the best player ive ever seen run the pnR since Nash.
Reminds me of Bird, Magic and Stockton. Seems to be mentally 10 steps ahead of everyone else on the court.
Fun to watch
I know I'll probably geted at this one, but he's basically a mix of CP3, Harden, and Larry Bird. The ability to stop and go in the Pick and Roll reminds of CP3. The way he finishes in the lane/stepback 3 is Harden-esque and that post-up, non-athletic fadeaway reminds you of Bird
its 15 games in. Kawhi just crushed the world and Lebron still plays.
Vanilla fans
is your skintone pink?siakam over lebron
siakam over lebron at the 10 game mark. He was a beast and still is a beast. People sleeping.
Siakam has easily been one of the 5 best nba player so far.
Actually Dirk and Luka's European experiences couldn't be much different, and explain why it took Dirk 2-3 years to resemble the player he would later become.
Dirk was playing in Germany, a country not know for basketball traditionally, in the country's second division, for his hometown team. At 19 years old he had barely left his home, and only became famous when he exploded at the Nike Hoops summit in 1998 - the US v. World High School game. He never played in Germany's first Division, let alone the Euroleague. Essentially, he has no ties to European club basketball.
Luka was born and raised in Slovenia, a former member of Yugoslavia, the hotbed of European basketball talent. At 12 he was already a well-known prodigy, and left to play in Real Madrid's acadamy - one of the continent's largest cities and with one of the leading clubs as well. He has played professionally since 16 in the highest level outside the NBA.
Essentially Dirk was a homesick boy when he came to Dallas who had only played against local plumbers and farmers (joking a bit, but you get the idea), while Luka has been living the life of a professional athlete for years.
But I agree with you on the pace argument, that is why the per game statistics have taken off. PER, Hollinger's advanced statistic, does factor for pace though and it's probably a better stat to use for comparisons between eras.
Fair comparisonI know I'll probably get
when you start comparing him to 10 different players it just shows you that he's none of them and that he's just Luka.
if I'd had to pick one guy, it would be Joe Johnson.
well yeah, but still fun regardless
I don't agree with any of those comparisons, tbh. Luka is clutch, plays basketball instead of refball, and is going up against real athletes (not plumbers and C-SPAN anchors).I know I'll probably get
I get that you don't like CP3, but if you're gonna rail against CP3 for "choking" in the playoffs then I don't know how you can call Luka clutch already when he's yet to even play in a playoff game
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