02-05-2022, 12:20 PM
(02-05-2022, 12:03 PM)KillerLeft Wrote: And this is the point that some were trying to make. This is just not something that can often be said about guys like Lebron, Chris Paul, Kawhi Leonard, KD, Paul George, etc.
Was it overblown by some? Absolutely, imo, but it's not nothing, or even minor, really. Luka does need to learn to be better about this in order to take his spot among the all time greats. I think he will. By the time he's 28, I doubt we'll even remember this argument.
Agree. Absolutely overblown by many. This is what I try to highlight. Luka says that it was very little weight, and agrees to this. Thus, not a lot weight. He looks visibly identical to before to me, which confirms to me his statement. And most of this IMO is due not having an offseason. By far major issue was thus the injury. It might be the injury was connected to this little extra weight as you write, we don't know, it can't be excluded or confirmed, it's a valid theory. It could all be indeed connected - no offseason to reallty rest - little more weight -more stress on ankle. It could also just be an injury to ankle that would have happened anyway, he has had those before even when in top form on the court. It was just clear that he limped due to injury to ankle and that stopped when the injury was gone, and his play rose to elite levels (by Lukas standards).
It is completely normal that later in career players are better prepared early in seasons. When you are 22, you don't have that experience. Agree, nothing suggests to me, that Luka will not do that later as well. Especially when he has an offseason to take a rest and doesnt need to play with the national team. No wonders his ankle had issues with no rest in the summer. It would have been tough for Lebron as well.
Whatever it was, it was a minor thing, and not a big thing as it was made out to be. This is the best Luka has played ever IMO. He needs to save the best for playoffs.