"I'm going to take probably one week off of basketball" - Luka Doncic jokes about his summer plans given his conditioning concerns earlier this season
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks came up a bit short in the Western Conference Finals after getting eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in five games. Doncic already has plans for the offseason and some fans should not be worried.
In the postgame interview, Doncic was asked about ways to improve as a player after failing to advance to the NBA Finals. The Slovenian superstar pointed out that his health is a priority and he's looking to take a week off from basketball. Doncic, who had conditioning concerns earlier this season, was grinning when he answered.
"I'm going to take probably one week off of basketball and then back to it. You got to stay healthy, you know? The healthiness is the most important thing in basketball. If you're not healthy, you're not going to play," Doncic said.
Luka Doncic came into the season a little bit overweight. He had himself a vacation after helping Slovenia reach the semifinals in the Olympics. With additional weight at the start of the season, Doncic struggled and was hampered with injuries.
The three-time NBA All-Star admitted back in December that he has conditioning issues. Doncic went on to work on it and got back into shape as the season progressed. He told reporters (h/t Sports Illustrated):
"People are going to talk about it, yes or no. I know I've got to do better. I had the Olympics, took three weeks off and I relaxed a little bit. Maybe too much. I've just got to get back on track."
The Mavericks were 17-18 at the end of December, but found their groove when 2022 started. Dallas went 35-12 starting in January as they finished the season with a 52-30 record.
Doncic averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists in 65 games during the regular season. He was even better in the playoffs, averaging 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 6.4 assists.
Luka Doncic might have a busy offseason with Slovenia
Luka Doncic will get plenty of rest after getting eliminated from the postseason by the Golden State Warriors. However, Doncic could be back playing basketball as early as August as Slovenia are set to enter the second round of qualification for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The qualifiers are scheduled for August 2022, but the games do not stop there. Slovenia is also set to compete in the EuroBasket from September 1st to 18th. They are in Group B with France, Germany, Lithuania, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Who'll make history in September? 🏆
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If Luka Doncic decides to play for Slovenia in the qualifiers and EuroBasket, he will have less than a month to prepare for the 2022-23 NBA season that starts in October. Doncic had almost the same schedule last season, but still ended up out of shape. Will he be much better heading into next season?