12-04-2021, 04:40 PM
Great posts by KillerLeft, Omahen and ML!
It is impressive how much criticism is on Luka. I feel as if Skip Bayless is in the forum here among the posters. But among these comments, holds also truth, which is also important to acknowledge, that the team indeed lacks veteran leadership , and also that Luka doesn't provide that. It's absolutely correct. The only thing is that a 22 year old is not able to provide that, and is not expected to, he provides so many other things. The truth is that the team lacks that 28-30 year old second star or superstar to win the championship. Otherwise, this team has some complementary players, that can perform consistently game in and game out, to support such a run: in KP, Maxi and Brunson and DFS. These guys are consistent enough to support a championship, but the team needs that veteran star to show the way to play every game well, on both ends. And possibly even one more additional piece in the catergory talent level of "KP, Maxi, Brunson, DFS".
My view is that Luka is obviously not the perfect player, he has deficiencies. However, what he adds to the team is far far more than the few/some mistakes he makes, and as it is pointed out, those mistakes are mostly related to his age, not his skillset, which makes it even better. The guy is so young he is playing Fortnite like many teenagers do. It is so easy to start blaming him when the team is not doing well. And I have to say this: If this franchise starts doing the same as some of the posters here, we will lose Luka, sooner rather than later, and not get the prime Luka as ML points out is in quiet some years when his brain starts to mature. At that time he will have maturity and be even better, which is absolutely scary to think about. At that time he will start doing many of the things DFS does, the small things on defense etc. and maturity that just takes years to develop. If you see another 22 year old that are the veteran leaders on their team, telling everyone what they should do and set examples, doing many of those small things correct, let me know.
When you are 22 you have emotions you just can't control. This is what you learn with time, and years, and at mid- and end- 20s you can gain the experience how to control these emotions. At 22 years, at least Luka has shown he can control himself OFF the court, which many 22 year old are not able to do, especially if you get 200 mill. He needs a lot of credit for that. Some mention his lack of shape, I just cant see that at all, if there is something its very little effect at best and looks more like tiredness at times, and keep in mind he didn't had a summer off, and could be really tired from playing the Olympics, in which he dominated completely and would not have done if not in shape. Look instead at Williamson. Or look at some stars historically that got in major off court troubles. Luka is professional, as much as any 22 year has ever shown to be. Taking the end of games responsibility is also leadership and being professional. Or always taking the blame for losses with media, even when he was playing bad and rest of the team did not. That is also being professional.
The team absolutely needs a veteran presence in another star or superstar. In that sense we could much better use a veteran star, rather than a young superstar. Which makes KP acquisition also questionable from that standpoint. Someone that brings skills that we don't have right now. To me it's that mid-ranger. It's the play that can keep you in games, even when you run out of ideas how to attack an opponent. Sort of what we saw from Brandon Ingram yesterday, just a veteran that also adds defense and maturity. I was a fan of Vucevic and DeRozan, for this role for Mavs. Both bring the mid range game and inside game around the rim, that our bigs and wings do NOT provide, besides Bobi, that has other deficiencies. Look it at this way: Maxi, WCS, KP, DFS, Powell, none of these guys can hit a mid-ranger in the flow of the offense in game situations, other than a static free throw. I'm not sure these two are those players, and there might be much better examples than Vucevic and DeRozan, but it's more on the kind of point I want to make. My point is that the team needs someone older that consistently plays well, and adds a star with maturity and skills we do not have.
And consistency is the main thing in the game in my view. Luka is super consistent, he is among the most consistent players in the league. We just have a series of players that can have great games, and then get lost in next games. As much as I love THJ and maturity he brings etc., he is one of those players. Brunson, Maxi, DFS, KP, Bobi. Thats the consistent core, outside of Luka.
Look at it from historical point of view. Oscar Robertson was the veteran superstar when Kareem started and brought that veteran leadership that the younger superstar didn't have. It resulted in a championship. Same guy later in his career, Kareem, provided that for Magic Johnson.
There is no way Luka on his own with this team create a contender. A young Jordan would not have, and Luka is not able as well. IMO, what Luka has accomplished so far is out of the ordinary. After his arrival, the Mavs have transformed from a tanking team to a regular playoff team, that gave Kawhi/PG a match to the end. And still remember, we are 12-11 record and are going to playoffs if this keeps up. Which is impressive given the talent level we have.
I think what we need to do is to keep Luka happy, and give him plenty of time to mature and fix those things. Not in one game time, until next game. I mean give him some years to gradually learn that.
If we really want to speed that up, and we really do, you add a veteran superstar, that has the maturity and can lead the team, and that will make Luka acquire the mature faster than figuring it out on his own.
It is impressive how much criticism is on Luka. I feel as if Skip Bayless is in the forum here among the posters. But among these comments, holds also truth, which is also important to acknowledge, that the team indeed lacks veteran leadership , and also that Luka doesn't provide that. It's absolutely correct. The only thing is that a 22 year old is not able to provide that, and is not expected to, he provides so many other things. The truth is that the team lacks that 28-30 year old second star or superstar to win the championship. Otherwise, this team has some complementary players, that can perform consistently game in and game out, to support such a run: in KP, Maxi and Brunson and DFS. These guys are consistent enough to support a championship, but the team needs that veteran star to show the way to play every game well, on both ends. And possibly even one more additional piece in the catergory talent level of "KP, Maxi, Brunson, DFS".
My view is that Luka is obviously not the perfect player, he has deficiencies. However, what he adds to the team is far far more than the few/some mistakes he makes, and as it is pointed out, those mistakes are mostly related to his age, not his skillset, which makes it even better. The guy is so young he is playing Fortnite like many teenagers do. It is so easy to start blaming him when the team is not doing well. And I have to say this: If this franchise starts doing the same as some of the posters here, we will lose Luka, sooner rather than later, and not get the prime Luka as ML points out is in quiet some years when his brain starts to mature. At that time he will have maturity and be even better, which is absolutely scary to think about. At that time he will start doing many of the things DFS does, the small things on defense etc. and maturity that just takes years to develop. If you see another 22 year old that are the veteran leaders on their team, telling everyone what they should do and set examples, doing many of those small things correct, let me know.
When you are 22 you have emotions you just can't control. This is what you learn with time, and years, and at mid- and end- 20s you can gain the experience how to control these emotions. At 22 years, at least Luka has shown he can control himself OFF the court, which many 22 year old are not able to do, especially if you get 200 mill. He needs a lot of credit for that. Some mention his lack of shape, I just cant see that at all, if there is something its very little effect at best and looks more like tiredness at times, and keep in mind he didn't had a summer off, and could be really tired from playing the Olympics, in which he dominated completely and would not have done if not in shape. Look instead at Williamson. Or look at some stars historically that got in major off court troubles. Luka is professional, as much as any 22 year has ever shown to be. Taking the end of games responsibility is also leadership and being professional. Or always taking the blame for losses with media, even when he was playing bad and rest of the team did not. That is also being professional.
The team absolutely needs a veteran presence in another star or superstar. In that sense we could much better use a veteran star, rather than a young superstar. Which makes KP acquisition also questionable from that standpoint. Someone that brings skills that we don't have right now. To me it's that mid-ranger. It's the play that can keep you in games, even when you run out of ideas how to attack an opponent. Sort of what we saw from Brandon Ingram yesterday, just a veteran that also adds defense and maturity. I was a fan of Vucevic and DeRozan, for this role for Mavs. Both bring the mid range game and inside game around the rim, that our bigs and wings do NOT provide, besides Bobi, that has other deficiencies. Look it at this way: Maxi, WCS, KP, DFS, Powell, none of these guys can hit a mid-ranger in the flow of the offense in game situations, other than a static free throw. I'm not sure these two are those players, and there might be much better examples than Vucevic and DeRozan, but it's more on the kind of point I want to make. My point is that the team needs someone older that consistently plays well, and adds a star with maturity and skills we do not have.
And consistency is the main thing in the game in my view. Luka is super consistent, he is among the most consistent players in the league. We just have a series of players that can have great games, and then get lost in next games. As much as I love THJ and maturity he brings etc., he is one of those players. Brunson, Maxi, DFS, KP, Bobi. Thats the consistent core, outside of Luka.
Look at it from historical point of view. Oscar Robertson was the veteran superstar when Kareem started and brought that veteran leadership that the younger superstar didn't have. It resulted in a championship. Same guy later in his career, Kareem, provided that for Magic Johnson.
There is no way Luka on his own with this team create a contender. A young Jordan would not have, and Luka is not able as well. IMO, what Luka has accomplished so far is out of the ordinary. After his arrival, the Mavs have transformed from a tanking team to a regular playoff team, that gave Kawhi/PG a match to the end. And still remember, we are 12-11 record and are going to playoffs if this keeps up. Which is impressive given the talent level we have.
I think what we need to do is to keep Luka happy, and give him plenty of time to mature and fix those things. Not in one game time, until next game. I mean give him some years to gradually learn that.
If we really want to speed that up, and we really do, you add a veteran superstar, that has the maturity and can lead the team, and that will make Luka acquire the mature faster than figuring it out on his own.
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