The Dallas Mavericks had a poor start to the season. At one stage, they were 9-14, when star Luka Doncic was struggling. But he has stepped up as the leader recently, and they are now 16-16, after last night’s win over the Brooklyn Nets.
It was a huge win for them, as they put an end to the Nets’ eight-game winning streak. Doncic led the team with 27 points, while also grabbing six rebounds and seven assists. This performance was so good that it left Nets’ star James Harden impressed. During the post-game interview, the Beard praised Luka for his maturity and said he has a bright future ahead.
“Luka Doncic, he plays at his own pace,” Harden said. “He never lets anyone speed him up. And he gets what he wants. That’s rare for a guy at a young age to be able to dictate and control the game like he does. Obviously, as we know, he has a very, very bright future. And the Nets’.”
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Luka Doncic reacts to James Harden’s compliments
Luka has often left his opponents in awe of him with his performances, but to impress a former MVP is a big deal. When he heard about Harden’s interview, Doncic was a bit stunned and was overjoyed. He said, “It’s amazing. It’s something you even can’t describe. If somebody like that says something about you, it’s just amazing. I appreciate it. I watch him. He’s an amazing, unbelievable player.”
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It’s always an honor to be praised by players one idolizes, and it is a bigger achievement when they do it right after you dazzle them with your performance.
Doncic had a mediocre start to the season which was far from the MVP expectations many had from him. One of his biggest problems was his poor three-point shooting, which would often let the team down. But recently he has improved it a lot and is averaging 43% in February. This form has bumped up his season numbers, which are now at a career-high 35%.
The Mavericks are still outside the playoff spots, but they are slowly ascending. Kristaps Porzingis is finally returning to his pre-injury form, and that has been vital for the Mavs’ improved displays. They need their star duo to continue to fire as they aim for another playoff appearance, and maybe a deeper run this time.
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ALSO READ – Nets’ Head Coach Steve Nash Opens up on Comparisons with Luka Doncic