What does Luka Dončić's injury mean for the Dallas Mavericks? | DLLS Mavs Podcast

[@DawudCopherfield-h2b]

Don't you just love how tim cato; perennial diehard Luka apologist; immediately dismisses the remark/fact of how the supermax golden boy is out of shape hence injury prone every December--but is again and again swift to bash a guy overperforming his $2M one-year underpaid deal in Spencer Dinwiddie? Luka not showing up leading by example routinely injured which causes him to not only apply inappropriate effort on defense but miss a vast swath of games (including playoffs; 2022) and is given supermax money, you say? Meh; not solution for that and I don't even want to address that. SPENCER DINWIDDIE goes 0-7? Yea he's why we're losing. This game/recent stretch is why he needs to be scapegoated. I want him off the Mavs!" Tim seems to look forward to bashing Dinwiddie/putting him way out of context. Not to mention cato could not find if within himself to adequately acknowledge how Dinwiddie basically swung 7-10 straight games both driving and dishing to get teammates wide open looks or hitting clutch shots himself. Can Spence finish more accurately at the rim, and would I like to see him dunk like he did even last year with BKN and LAL? Yes. But let's not paint with a broad brush and be swift to antagonize and malign the guy who has proven to be a great playmaker and ball handler and go off the rails saying we need to rely on Hardy and Naji. Naji, Hardy, and Grimes all look for their shot. Spence drives, dishes, makes brilliant passes AND gets to the free throw line. 4.0 assist to turnover ratio and getting to the FT line are big time. Cato, look in the mirror and get over your cognitive bias. I happen to remember a true supermax/franchise Mavs player who stopped drinking alcohol, stopped consuming sugar, vastly lessened carbs, stopped partying after the 2006 finals loss. That's commitment to excellence, true leadership/leading by example. The current supermax guy ? Bonafide brat who is never held accountable nor seems to self-reflect nor care to lead by example. Where's Mike Finley when you need him to take away Luka's beer (and high carb/transfat diet + hookah at this point)?

[@johncrabtree8857]

People who think the mavs are better without luka are delusional

[@Emoney1988]

Definitely but they do know how to play for a extended period of time without him and can be a blessing when playoffs roll around but no ring without Luka

[@lavzorvic4129]

He has to come at least ONCE in his career in top shape at the beginning of the season! Jokic improved his game a lot in the two seasons he was not playing in the summer for serbia. Time for Luka to grow up. With his talent everything other than 2-5 chips would be a failure and a waste of talent.

[@mikealdana5884]

Everybody needs to turn it up a notch w/Luka out

[@larrybrown9883]

Maybe this will finally wake Luka and management up to his year round playing and lack of offseason conditioning as the primary factor in his missing games!!! Time to get that young man in shape if you have to mandate it to him. This is ridiculous and if they don't get it done this year he has only himself to blame.

[@KingoftheJungle214]

Doubt it had anything to do with that

[@ireqsavagevocaldinosaur5795]

I see a lot hate talk on Luka around the internet saying he’s getting hurt so much from not being in shape.

[@roneteus]

[Where do we go now Axl Rose intensifies]

[@johnmargritz4816]

I really actively dislike when people say the whole point of this season is a home court advantage in playoffs. No. No no. The whole point of this season should be having good health going into the playoffs.

[@ratede91]

Yeah mavs didnt have homecourt last year and look what happened

[@larrybrown9883]

AND having the one seed!! EVERY team needs good health to have a prayer but the one seed and homework absolutely matter just ask Boston and Denver.

[@KingoftheJungle214]

Nah at some point this team has to be a top 4 seed. Prefer top 2. Tired of being on the road every series as underdogs

[@richardcase9165]

gotta love Mav's fan's lol will hate on luka, will hate on kyrie, Naji, Pj but lord have mercy on you if you say anything about lay-up line maxi and super Dwight, they are fighting mad, lol just makes no sense

[@rodwave5257]

Luka has been horrible this year

[@joebauers8031]

😂 👌🏻🤡

[@jamiemoody2675]

They should trade Luka to the New Orleans Pelicans for 6'11 center Yves Nissi & 6'9" forward Herb Jones...and possibly a #1 draft pick. T-H-I-S would enable more variation in the Mavs lineups using Gafford at PF + Lively at C with P.J. at SF to go with a big lineup. Luka cannot play fast and we can't use offensive/defensive sets with EVERYTHING running through a guy patting on the ball for 19 seconds before getting off the damn ball. He's got to learn what all great offensive talents must learn to win a championship against a real T-E-A-M. Get off the ball immediately. Setup teammates Share And...play tough defense and only take over when behind or at the end of games. Jordan, Bird, Isaiah, Shaq, Rick Barry et al didn't win blip until they not only trusted teammates but got them involved first. Luka is a great offensive weapon but causes what I call the "Wilt Chamberlain effect" where everything revolves around and through O-N-E player who can only play one way while others are standing around...watching. Listen, I know they won't trade him but if they start Quentin Grimes in his place, he'll average 20 ppg & play incredible defense. Spencer Dinwiddie will lead the 2nd unit and Kyrie will be free to just score at will when needed. The tempo will be fast defense will be quick, long there's less reliance on the trey Plus every member of the T-E-A-M will be involved making it impossible to game plan for. There will be instances of 7 and 8 men in double figures, everyone engaged, everyone needed and no hero ball. Doing T-H-I-S, They will go on runs of 7-3, 8-2, 9-1 and 10-0. So...if Doncic is out for at least the next 40 games I predict their record will be 52-18 after 70 games with the #1 defense and #5 offense. With Luka they're not a top 5 defense, are stagnant with a Wilt Chamberlain type player doing it all while others stand around. Without him thet can beat Boston and have no weakness cuz Kyrie can be unleashed at the appropriate times.