01-18-2021, 03:26 PM
(01-18-2021, 11:20 AM)DanSchwartzman Wrote: This won't be popular, but I'm going to say it anyway.
Luka, dude, grow the hell up. Your technicals are an energy sapping distraction for the entire team. Your constant whining hurts your personal concentration and especially your D. Bad calls (and no calls) happen. In fact, they happen to you at an alarming rate. It is pretty clear the referee community has you on a short leash now. After 13 techs last season, you, Cousins and Howard are on pace for 26 this season (in a 72 game schedule). Is that really the company you want to keep?
I get that the lack of a call when Gafford clobbered you was really bad, but you cry after every missed basket. You have no credibility with the refs. Maybe if you limited your complaints to the most egregious fouls things might go better for you. What you are doing now isn't working. SO TRY SOMETHING NEW.
I'm not saying this was the cause, but for the next 12 minutes of game action following Luka's technical, the Mav's were -15.
I do agree, and it is important to ask this question. Would he and the team be better off Luka stopping this?
I totally agree we would be better. And Luka.
The only thing that comes to my mind, why he should continue with this is following. This could be in essence a part of him and his game. To be expressive. What if he stopped with that and was half the player he is now doing that? That would not be better for Luka, and for the team.
He comes from Europe, where that is inherent part of life, sports, family relations, everything. You express yourself quickly and in sports you complain to the refs, its like, everyone does it. More or less, with quiet a difference definitely. It can become part of who you are and how you play. If it is tennis, you have players throwing the racket. If it is football, it is complaining to the refs. If its basketball, it is complaining to the refs.
Would Luka be better and more productive if he could do like Tim Duncan, just keeping all emotions inside? Absolutely, a lot better. Can he do it and play like that without getting significantly less good? Not so sure about this.