(05-08-2024, 02:42 PM)surfpuckmd Wrote: There is plenty of logic and reason to your posts. If Luka were a high-school athlete, he would absolutely be advised to rest.
As a superstar professional athlete in a league run by superstar athletes, Luka gets to decide what he wants to do. Luka has obviously decided that he wants to play even if the knee is clearly slowing him down. He's an elite competitor and clearly refuses to sit during the playoffs. If the Mavs decided to sit him against his will. there would be a lot of resentment. The team physician who told Luka he had to rest his knee would not be the team physician next season.
We might not win with an injured Luka playing but we're not gonna beat the Thunder without him either.
I admire Luka's toughness and I personally prefer to have him rather than another superstar who is content to sit and rest (e.g. Kawhi).
Dirk was a superstar athlete that was told to sit out with the exact same injury. Why was there no resentment then? Was Dirk not an elite competitor?
Yes, I don't think we beat the Thunder in a series without a HEALTHY Luka but we can definitely win a couple of games with or without Luka.
Game one would have been the ideal time to sit Luka.
If we win that one or it was a close loss I would have thought about sitting him for game two as well and reevaluate situation on a day to day basis.