My Humble Advice For Luka

[audiosway]

So, after what we have just seen in the Finals we know that Luka can get it done. (Not that I doubted that) If you remember they got to the WCF and lost in 5. Came back and made it to the Finals and lost in 5. Next up is a title run.

The biggest advice I would have for Luka has nothing to do with hitting the gym. He has plenty of bulk. He is as strong as an ox.

I would see if I could take the summer and spend it with Steph Curry. Steph's cardio workouts are some of the best the league has ever seen. I would recommend that both Luka and Kyrie do it. There is a serious reason that Steph never runs out of energy. He just wears opponents down trying to keep up with him.

It's just a cardio routine. If Luke and Kyrie had the kind of energy or even 90% of what Steph has he would be able to give more effort on D late in the season. It would also make it so that Kyrie could wear opponents down with the constant cutting and moving. It would fit his game so well.

Just a thought.

[hakeemfaan]

Steph is a light guard. Luka is a big guy. Even Bron can’t run like Steph and should not be expected to either. Let alone Luka. Lukas role model should be his close friend Jokic Similar backgrounds, have a good appetite and can put on weight. However after a playoff run where he felt he let the team down, Jokic changed. He is still a big guy but has changed his diet and workout habits. While he will never be a great defender he plays heavy minutes and most games has something left in his tank at the end.

If Luka can at least be like Jokic in terms of making small changes off the court, he will be fine.

[The Jom]

Not sure you can pull off “humble” while giving basketball advice to Luka.

[ballsrchr]

I don't think Luka needs to lose weight. Cardio?...yes.

This is incredible to say, but I think the changes Luka needs to make is in Basketball and Team IQ. To become a savant in basketball and team theory. To be able to utilize every member of the team to the best of their ability and in every possible way. And it's not the Jokic way...

Luka has AT LEAST another level to reach. When/IF he reaches that level--the game will become easier and much more efficient for him.

Yeah...I'm a homer. Maybe we can call that level Homerism...

[Scott41theMavs]

I'm hearing all this about how Luka "just didn't have the conditioning" in the Finals. Or he "took too many possessions off on defense" in the Finals. Etc. etc. etc. The narrative was, "this is what Luka always does."

Horsepuckey. Luka was playing through significant injuries throughout the playoffs, and yet played more minutes than ever, playing far better defense in the first three series than he ever had in the past. He was in the games at the end, and we went 12-5 in those first three series. Cowherd et al. seem to pretend these events never happened. It's sports journalism calumny.

Clearly something was different in the Finals. Luka, aside from Game 4, stopped trying. Why?

I think it was simple math. The Mavs had to steal at least one game in Boston to win the series. It became pretty clear that Irving's uncanny Boston-as-kryptonite phenomenon, which we had already seen in the last regular season tilt against the Celtics in the midst of our dominating late-season run, was going to be the existential reality of these Finals. No help from Robin in the road games = the best Dallas could do was 3-4. So Luka gave up.

In spite of all of the locker room vibes and chemistry, I think it's pretty clear that their options to make a run for a title are 1) trade Kyrie, or 2) just pray and wish and hope that someone in the East beats Boston like someone in the West beat Denver this year. I suppose the third option would be to win more games in the regular season than Boston in order to have HCA throughout the playoffs, but we're talking we're in the West and they're in the East, so good luck with that even if the Mavs have a regular season for the ages next year.

[audiosway]

Steph is a light guard. Luka is a big guy.  Even Bron can’t run like Steph and should not be expected to either. Let alone Luka. Lukas role model should be his close friend Jokic  Similar backgrounds, have a good appetite and can put on weight. However after a playoff run where he felt he let the team down, Jokic changed. He is still a big guy but has changed his diet and workout habits. While he will never be a great defender he plays heavy minutes and  most games has something left in his tank at the end.

If Luka can at least be like Jokic in terms of making small changes off the court, he will be fine.

Yeah I don't think Luka will ever be on the level of Steph as far as moving around the court and all of that. But, How much would Luka benefit from better cardio? Honestly, I don't buy the whole he needs to go on an entire diet change and all of that. He was very injured through the playoffs. Healthy Luka would have been much better.

However, Luka with a little more energy late in the year and the ability to get up and down the floor faster to get out in transition would make a world of difference.

I'm talking more about him playing slow against Boston fell right into their game plan. A lot of that was injury. But, would it hurt to just have a little more in the tank late in the year.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I'm hearing all this about how Luka "just didn't have the conditioning" in the Finals. Or he "took too many possessions off on defense" in the Finals. Etc. etc. etc. The narrative was, "this is what Luka always does."

Horsepuckey. Luka was playing through significant injuries throughout the playoffs, and yet played more minutes than ever, playing far better defense in the first three series than he ever had in the past. He was in the games at the end, and we went 12-5 in those first three series. Cowherd et al. seem to pretend these events never happened. It's sports journalism calumny.

Clearly something was different in the Finals. Luka, aside from Game 4, stopped trying. Why?

I think it was simple math. The Mavs had to steal at least one game in Boston to win the series. It became pretty clear that Irving's uncanny Boston-as-kryptonite phenomenon, which we had already seen in the last regular season tilt against the Celtics in the midst of our dominating late-season run, was going to be the existential reality of these Finals. No help from Robin in the road games = the best Dallas could do was 3-4. So Luka gave up.

In spite of all of the locker room vibes and chemistry, I think it's pretty clear that their options to make a run for a title are 1) trade Kyrie, or 2) just pray and wish and hope that someone in the East beats Boston like someone in the West beat Denver this year. I suppose the third option would be to win more games in the regular season than Boston in order to have HCA throughout the playoffs, but we're talking we're in the West and they're in the East, so good luck with that even if the Mavs have a regular season for the ages next year.

You basically answered your own question in regards to the disparity of the conferences. Boston will probably represent the East again next year, though a healthy Knicks, Heat, Bucks, Pacers, Sixers may challenge them. While Dallas beat three 50 win teams on their way to the finals, those teams aren't going to just "run it back" They're all going to make tweaks, even without mentioning some teams that didn't have good seasons because of injuries or inexperience. Memphis, SA, Houston are building up their programs too. I think getting to the finals will be a major challenge for any team in the West next year. It's conceivable a different team can make the finals every year going forward.

[michaeltex]

I don't think Luka needs to lose weight.  Cardio?...yes.

This is incredible to say, but I think the changes Luka needs to make is in Basketball and Team IQ.  To become a savant in basketball and team theory.  To be able to utilize every member of the team to the best of their ability and in every possible way.  And it's not the Jokic way...

Luka has AT LEAST another level to reach.  When/IF he reaches that level--the game will become easier and much more efficient for him.

Yeah...I'm a homer.  Maybe we can call that level Homerism...

Homerism...

[michaeltex]

I would add that a better team, hopefully, means a better start to the season and not as much pressure in March to get out of the play-in bracket.

A third ball handler, be it Exum, Hardy or ???, would help take some minutes pressure off Luka and allow him to exhibit hit 2-way game more.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Luka has a drinking and smoking problem. This is basically confirmed by people around the team. How much a “problem” it is vs he’s just a typical Euro who does these things is debatable I guess.

[KillerLeft]

Luka has a drinking and smoking problem. This is basically confirmed by people around the team. How much a “problem” it is vs he’s just a typical Euro who does these things is debatable I guess.

Smoking? I missed that part. You mean cigarettes?? That would be alarming, indeed.

[ballsrchr]

Luka has a drinking and smoking problem. This is basically confirmed by people around the team. How much a “problem” it is vs he’s just a typical Euro who does these things is debatable I guess.

We can just have Finley follow him around and take the cigarettes and beer away from him...

[HoosierDaddyKidd]

Luka has a drinking and smoking problem. This is basically confirmed by people around the team. How much a “problem” it is vs he’s just a typical Euro who does these things is debatable I guess.

I know he likes his beer. But smoking? If it's cigarettes or weed both are problematic. Hope someone can verify and put a name on this.

[audiosway]

Luka has a drinking and smoking problem. This is basically confirmed by people around the team. How much a “problem” it is vs he’s just a typical Euro who does these things is debatable I guess.

He isn't smoking. I would be surprised if that were true. Someone who smokes can't go that late into the season and play at that level. Your lungs won't allow it if you smoke.

Having a beer here and there is not something I would consider a problem. His game isn't predicated on athleticism. I know some athletes never drink. But, if he had a drinking problem he couldn't play at such a high level. Drinking heavily would make it very hard to go a full season and to the finals and play at that level.

Finley taking the beer away in that clip was an optic thing. The team trainers wouldn't let him drink heavily.

[ThisIStheYear]

Luka should borrow from the Joker’s conditioning program — not the basketball Joker, the tennis Djoker. He should go gluten free and spend long periods in one of those pods.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Smoking hookah and occasional cigarettes.

I want to make sure I’m clear neither drinking or smoking is a substance abuse type problem. Just that many European players don’t really think that’s something they have to give up. More of a cultural thing.

[Knutsen]

Smoking hookah and occasional cigarettes.

I want to make sure I’m clear neither drinking or smoking is a substance abuse type problem. Just that many European players don’t really think that’s something they have to give up. More of a cultural thing.

Little bit of a cliche, isn’t it? Maybe it‘s true for the people from former Yugoslavia, I don’t know. But Dirk was as ascetic as one could be during the seasons with not touching a single glass of wine etc. And there aren’t any known smokers under all these hundreds of professional soccer players we have over here any more.