02-29-2020, 04:56 PM
(02-29-2020, 03:43 PM)duboh7 Wrote: (3) Luka's hand is hurt, and that throws him out of kilter, which in turn hinders the meshing of our offense.
https://theathletic.com/1639718/2020/02/28/how-finished-product-luka-doncic-has-improved-more-than-any-2018-draftee/
Really good article from Hollinger on the ways Luka has improved since being drafted. Development of his left hand is arguably the most impactful of several factors. Here is the text from that section. Several videos are included in this section of the story that I didn't link plus there are four of five other improvement factors he goes through.
[b]LEFT HAND[/b]
OK, now we get to the biggest part. Toggling back and forth between Luka games from 2018 and his games this season, the one improvement that jumps out is his left hand. In Europe, he didn’t really have one. Oh sure, he dribbled with the left at times, but nearly all of his pick-and-roll effectiveness came with the ball on his right hand. Going left he was a one-trick pony, and the trick was going backward — a step-back jumper for a 3. He was often awkward getting into it, and there was no legitimate drive threat to move a defender away first.
For instance, here’s a clip from the Euroleague Final 4 against CSKA; watch how he has a clear driving lane with his left hand but chooses not to exploit it, and forces a floater with the right instead. (Also, referring back to athleticism above, notice what a piddly leap he musters into the floater).
At least he hung onto the ball in that clip. There aren’t many clips of Luka driving left at all, and the ones that do exist tend to end badly. Here, for instance, he tries to drive left after an initial move to his right was deflected; his dribble goes high and he ends up losing it out of bounds. He’s working against a big on a switch here, too.[b] [/b]
More typical are examples like the play below, where you expect him to roll the ball in with his left hand off the glass and instead he uses the right hand to finish. He still got a bucket on the clip below, but an NBA big would have swatted this thing into the mezzanine section.
If you want to see how sharp the contrast is between that and his current left-hand capabilities, here’s the first play of Dallas’s game against Minnesota that I attended on Monday. Josh Okogie lifts up out of his stance for a split second and is immediately toast.
I would argue that this is the biggest and most underrated reason Doncic has elevated his game so sharply, so quickly. (Another point of reference is the Fournier clip above). While he could always get to a stepback going to his left as a late-clock bailout, that hasn’t been a threatening proposition for opposing defenses relative to other outcomes when Luka has the ball on his right hand. Now, he can get easy baskets going either way. The whole floor is open.
I’ll add that this reflects pretty hugely on Doncic as well. Improving your weak hand is difficult work; despite the virtually unprecedented plaudits he received at such a young age, Doncic understood he needed to put in the time to improve here, despite all the early success he had.