“I love the idea that they are not about the hugging… We’re enemies on the court” - Michelle Beadle praises 2-time MVP and Luka Doncic, says the former is fun to watch
Luka Doncic has been one of the best players in the 2022 NBA playoffs, and sports reporter Michelle Beadle likes his approach of not having friends on the court.
However, her focus was on Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has put together a clinic so far in the postseason. Beadle also complimented his attitude and relationship with other players, also stating that she does not put anyone ahead of him currently.
Speaking with Brian Geltzeiler and Sam Mitchell on SiriusXM NBA Radio, she said:
"Giannis to me is so fun to watch. He is sort of a throwback. Luka is like this too, I love the idea that they are not about the hugging, they're not about being friends with anybody. We're enemies on the court, I don't know if there are enemies off the court. It's hard for me to imagine he has any enemies."
"He loves being out there, and he loves playing. Honestly, I have loved this playoffs, and I'm one of those people who can't enjoy nice things. I keep thinking, 'Is the next series going to be bad? Is something going to happen? Because it is so much fun. I don't have an argument against Giannis, and I really don't have somebody I put ahead of him."
“I love the idea that [Giannis and Luka] are not about the hugging, they’re not about being friends with everybody. We’re enemies on the court.”
@MichelleDBeadle tells @BGeltzNBA and @SamMitchellNBA why she thinks Giannis Antetokounmpo is the best player in the NBA #FearTheDeer https://t.co/JqAJm8SWla
The competitive nature Beadle was referring to was more prevalent in the Michael Jordan era, where you could say teams hated each other.
Giannis has previously explained that he does not work out with NBA players for the same reason. He is not looking to make friends over the summer and will have to compete against them when the season gets underway.
Can Luka Doncic lead the Dallas Mavericks to an NBA Finals appearance?
The Dallas Mavericks have not reached the conference finals since the 2010-11 season. That year, they went all the way, defeating the Miami Heat's big three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in the NBA finals.
With Luka Doncic leading the charge, they are close to sealing a conference finals berth. The Slovenian helped the team force a Game 7 against the Phoenix Suns and will be looking to get a series win later tonight.
Elimination games bring out the best in Luka Doncic. He's averaging 39 points, 9 rebounds, and 10.3 assists on 51% shooting in 3 elimination games 🔥
38 PTS - 9 REBS - 9 ASTS - 54% FG
46 PTS - 7 REBS - 14 ASTS - 57% FG
33 PTS - 11 REBS - 8 ASTS - 42% FG https://t.co/V55vesnDlW
However, the road to the finals is still full of challenges. If they successfully see out the Suns, they will have to defeat the Warriors in a best-of-seven series for a chance to compete for the 2022 title.
As expected, it is up to Luka once again to perform some magic. The Suns are a better team on paper, but Dallas has shown that they are determined to advance to the next round.
Luka has played nine games this postseason and is averaging 31.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.9 steals while shooting 46% from the field.