Luka Doncic on seeking matchups against big players like LeBron James and Steph Curry: “When you have the best player on you, you wanna score”
One of the most impressive players of the 2021-22 NBA season is Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic. The 23-year old has continued to stand out among the numerous talents in the league. He has proven to be unguardable in recent times, leading the Mavericks to eight wins in their last nine games.
Doncic got his third All-Star selection last month, making the All-Star list for three consecutive years. He leads the Mavs in almost all categories, averaging 28.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.2 steals. He is largely the reason the Mavs are fifth in the Western Conference.
In a recent interview with JJ Redick, Luka Doncic was questioned about his desire to hunt matchups in a game. His drive will be to match up against the best players in the opposing team, like LeBron James and Steph Curry.
He stated that being paired up with the best players drives him to score and give his all every singe time. He also spoke about his defense and his urge to make them work, make them wear out and tired.
"The best players have got to work on both ends. You've just got to make them work. They bring me up. They play the whole game, they handle the ball a lot and you just wanna make them tired. When you have the best player on you, you wanna score."
The Dallas Mavericks' "El Matador" Luka Doncic, blazing his trail and leading at such a young age
The Dallas Mavericks have depended on Luka Doncic since acquiring him in a draft night deal from the Atlanta Hawks in 2018. He has been their marquee player since his rookie season with the Mavs, leading the franchise in points, field goals, free throws, two-pointers and assists.
His strong run of 21.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists in 72 games saw him win the 2019 Rookie of the Year award. He led the team to a seventh-place finish in the Western Conference standings in his sophomore year, earning them their first playoff appearance after being absent for three years.
Luka Doncic belongs in the MVP discussion.
— 28.2/9.3/8.6
— Only player averaging 28/8/8
— Top 5 in points and assists
— 2nd best record in 2022 (Suns)
— 43-26 team record
— 36-17 when he plays
— No All-Star teammate https://t.co/fFAzbuEsrE
Since his sophomore season, the Mavs have made the playoffs, despite crashing out in the first round of the Western Conference. They are on track to make it this season with a win-loss percentage of 62.3, their highest since 2011. While most pundits have pegged their ceiling as a semifinals exit, only time will tell how far he can lead them.