“In that Same Mold”: Mavericks Coach Compares Luka Doncic to NBA Hall of Famers

The Dallas Mavericks clinched an overtime victory against the Milwaukee Bucks last night. In a battle between two talented superstars in the league, it was Luka Doncic who came out on top. Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle sat down with the press after the game and compared Luka’s game vision to that of two legendary NBA players. 

“He knows where everybody is. Not only on offense, but defense,” Carlisle said, talking about Luka’s extraordinary vision. “That’s the sign of a savant type guy. I played with Larry Bird, he could see everything like that. I had the privilege of coaching Jason Kidd and he could see everything like that.” 

“Luka’s in that same mold,” Carlisle continued. “He’s got a different body type, he’s got a different kind of game. But, when he draws the attention, somebody’s going to get a wide-open shot. There were a lot of instances tonight where we had shots that didn’t quite go in. Otherwise, these numbers could have been even more ridiculous.”

Coach Carlisle was praising Luka Doncic on the back of a magnificent performance against the Bucks. With a win against the best record holders in the league, the Mavs have now clinched a playoff position. The mastermind behind the victory once again proved to be Doncic, who stood out with yet another triple-double, notching up a career-high 19 assists in the process. 

How far can Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks go this season?

In a very strange season that has been massively plagued by a pandemic, Doncic will play his first year in the NBA playoffs. However, he won’t be requiring any specific training to handle the pressure as the 21-year-old has been in similar situations when he was playing in Spain. 

The number of records that he is breaking at his age is taking the league by storm. The Mavs have a dominating combo in Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. But they need these two to fire when it matters. Doncic has only shot 33.8% from the field this season, including 6-38 from the three-point range during clutch situations. 

However, the preparations for the playoffs will be underway in the Mavs camp. Luka has started off in spectacular touch inside the bubble, which will only boost his confidence as the season progresses. With a current bubble average of 33.4 points, 11.6 rebounds and 11.6 assists, Doncic looks unstoppable. 

With more records tumbling his way, how far can Luka Doncic take the Mavericks this season? He was just 19-years-old when he won the EuroLeague title along with the MVP award in 2018. Can he propel the Mavs to make a challenging playoff run? Doncic has the capacity to it all. But with quality support by his side, the Mavs become a dangerous team. 

SOURCE:  Dallas Mavericks – YouTube,  NBA.com – YouTube,  Luka Doncic – Basketball-Reference,  ESPN