Luka Doncic recently got real about the Dallas Mavericks’ struggles so far this season. Doncic, 25, has been playing as a Point Guard for the Mavericks since 2018, the same year he was selected third overall by the Atlanta Hawks, who traded him for the draft rights of Point Guard Trae Young and a protected 2019 first-round pick, out of Real Madrid.
The Hawks might’ve regretted trading him to Dallas, Texas, even though they also got a future star in return. He has dominated in Dallas since then, but Doncic’s struggles have been showing — especially in the early 2024-25 NBA season following a 2024 NBA Finals appearance against the Boston Celtics. Read on for his recent comments.
Luka Doncic’s Recent Comments
His recent comments sparked discussion in the basketball world. The Dallas Mavericks entered the 2024-25 NBA season with high expectations to meet or surpass, but the Mavericks have fallen short of the expectations so far. He didn’t hold back from discussing the Mavericks’ current struggles, including those in the important regular season.
After the Mavericks’ NBA Cup first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors 120-117 at the Chase Center on Tuesday night, he told the media, “We’ve lost two straight by two or three points, so we just need to work on closing out games … I think last year we were a very, very good clutch team. This year, not so good so far.”
His comments could be interpreted in more ways than one, but the 25-year-old arguably addressed the Mavericks’ current challenges, offered insight into the team’s ongoing issues, and admitted defeat in the loss to the Warriors, along with back-to-back losses to the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns last Friday and this past Sunday, respectively.
Luka Doncic Faces Criticism
Doncic has been facing criticism from the public in recent weeks, including for his decisions under pressure. He recently explained his choices to the media members, I think it could’ve been way better. The shot clock was going down, so I was trying to reach my spot. On the last shot, I was trying to see if somebody was open, but I just took the shot with three or four seconds left.”
He was the Dallas Mavericks’ top scorer with the highest stat line in the away game against the Golden State Warriors, but his stats in the final minutes raised concerns, including whether or not the Slovenian big man should’ve taken the final shot for the Mavericks, among the critics. The same critics also suggested that Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson were alternatives amid the Slovenian big man’s subpar decision-making skills so far this season. The critics’ suggestions sparked debates on social media about the future of the Mavericks.
Thoughts on Doncic’s Behavior
Doncic’s behavior on the court hasn’t always been inspirational. But, this time around, Doncic acknowledged his areas of improvement. The Ljubljana native told the media that he can adjust his off-ball play in general and just play without the ball, which would be the right thing to do, as the Mavericks might want to prioritize the goal of maintaining the offense’s functionality.
The Mavericks might also want to prioritize the growth of Doncic. Doncic’s role has shifted in recent weeks. As a result, Doncic should strive to change his mental approach to the game and better accommodate the offensive-minded players on the Mavericks’ roster. The Real Madrid alum is one of the best NBA players, but his flaws have been more obvious so far this season.
