"Luka is so freaking slow and you're like, 'Why can't they stop that?'" - Robert Horry explains why defenders struggle to stop Luka Doncic, compares Mavericks guard to Larry Bird
Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the NBA. Despite his lack of speed and athleticism, the Dallas Mavericks superstar has proven to be nearly unstoppable. Sports analyst Robert Horry recently compared Doncic to the legendary Larry Bird and explained why defenders struggle to contain the Mavericks guard.
Horry was a guest on a recent episode of "The Byron Scott Podcast." The two former LA Lakers players discussed Doncic and his foot speed. They ended up comparing him to Bird, who won three championships with the Boston Celtics, and was known more for his skills and basketball IQ than his athleticism.
"You look at Bird and said, 'Man, I could've stopped him because he's slow,'" Horry said. "Someone like Luka now. If you watch Luka, Luka is so freaking slow and you're like, 'Why can't they stop that?' When you're crafty and you know how to play, that's all you need."
Scott chimed in and said that Bird was much faster than Doncic. The three-time champion believes that the Celtics legend could be considered a sprinter when compared to the young Mavericks superstar.
"Yeah, I think Bird is fast compared to Luka," Scott said. "I see Luka, he's going slow as hell and he'll get by you. But Larry probably looked like a f***ing sprinter compared to the way Luka plays."
Doncic won Rookie of the Year in 2019 and was named an All-Star in the next three seasons. He has also earned three All-NBA First Team nods already and could be an MVP candidate next season.
The Slovenian led the Mavericks to their most successful season since their title run in 2011. Doncic carried Dallas to the Western Conference finals last season. The most impressive part of their run was eliminating the Phoenix Suns, the team with the best record in the NBA, in the second round.
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Could Luka Doncic win MVP next season?
Only four players have won the MVP award at the age of 24. They are Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dave Cowens. Former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Matt Barnes believes that Luka Doncic is on the same path.
Barnes picked Doncic to win the MVP next season. He pointed out that the Mavericks guard will be in better shape than ever before at the start of the new season, given that he will represent Slovenia at the EuroBasket.
"I'm gonna take a step back and go with the youth," Barnes said. "I'm gonna go with Luka. Luka to me has continued to improve every year. He's gotten his team a little bit further each year. The deciding factor is that he's coming in shape like we've never seen Luka."