"IDGAF what any1 says"- Pro Football Hall of Famer doubles down on Luka Doncic being a top 5 player claim
Luka Doncic just dropped 25 points in the first half of Game 5 for the Dallas Mavericks against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Doncic’s 20 points in the first 12 minutes of the game was more than the 20 the Timberwolves could put up as a team. The Slovenian maestro’s hot start was a big reason the Mavs were ahead 69-40 after two quarters of play.
Doncic hasn’t just been impressive against their Western Conference finals opponents. He has been good throughout the season, finishing third in the MVP race, behind the winner Nikola Jokic,and runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The fourth-seeded LA Clippers and the top-ranked OKC Thunder are now on vacation mainly due to “Luka Legend.”
After another mind-boggling display from the All-NBA guard, Shannon Sharpe reacted on X, formerly Twitter:
“IDGAF what any1 says, they’re not 5 players in the NBA better than Luka.”
Coming up with an argument against the pro-football Hall of Famer is tough. Going up against his comment will be even more difficult if Dallas reaches the NBA Finals, which is what is likely happening. Kyrie Irving has been great, but the Mavs only go as far as Doncic can carry them.
In the 2024 playoffs, Luka Doncic already has had some incredible moments. The last jaw-dropping moment for him was Game 2 in the Mavericks’ 109-108 win over the Timberwolves. He keyed his team’s comeback and capped off his heroics with a step-back triple over Rudy Gobert, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner.
Shannon Sharpe, before the MVP award was handed out, thought that Nikola Jokic was going to win for the third time. But, the Denver Broncos legend added that he wouldn't be disappointed if Luka Doncic won the Michael Jordan Trophy.
Over the past few months, Sharpe has been arguing that at the very least "Luka Legend" is a top 5 player in the NBA. He is doubling down on that claim after the Slovenian's Game 5 performance versus the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Improved defense has made Luka Doncic a more complete top 5 player
What Luka Doncic can do on offense is unquestionable. He has been an MVP candidate since 2020, his sophomore season in the NBA. Doncic is a walking mismatch who is a threat to pose a triple-double on any given night.
While Doncic is great on offense, his defense left something to be desired. NBA analysts often criticized him for lack of focus and energy on that end. They say that at the very least, he should have more effort and pride in helping contain opposing players.
In the playoffs, Luka Doncic has answered the bell on that side of the ball. In Dallas' first-round series against the LA Clippers, he would sometimes wave off double teams when isolated against Paul George or James Harden. He more than held his own in the series against them.
In the semifinals against the OKC Thunder, Doncic had no qualms about being switched on to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jalen Williams. "Luka Legend" had one highlight block against "SGA" that allowed the Mavericks to eke out a 104-92 Game 5 victory.
Luka Doncic's defense isn't on the same level as that of Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and even Nikola Jokic. But if he can sustain this play on that end, it will be hard to keep him out of the top 5 best players in the NBA.