**Official Luka Doncic Thread**

[JWBlue]

I know this is an old story but I am not in the hoops forum let alone this thread very often.

Was the final consensus that the rookie Lulu autographs were Luka signing or his mother? I know it started out they weren't Luka signing and then the later on I believe the thinking was they were.

Is it still not a consensus?

[brothertona]

Is this Luka magic


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[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by JWBlue

I know this is an old story but I am not in the hoops forum let alone this thread very often.

Was the final consensus that the rookie Lulu autographs were Luka signing or his mother? I know it started out they weren't Luka signing and then the later on I believe the thinking was they were.

Is it still not a consensus?

There is video evidence of Luka signing "Lulu" sometimes but iirc there are variations of the "Lulu" that I haven't seen before, notably the short/stout version where there is a long lead up to the first "L."

I'm still sticking with the scribble but at this point, to each their own.

[tjforce]

Well, if anything, the positive here is that Luka has a Finals run under his belt and can learn from it.

He probably has the best offensive bag in the NBA right now. If he wants to get to the next level, his defense and leadership ability need to start to catch up. Hopefully he uses this as a learning experience and grows from it.

[rhigh2390]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Well, if anything, the positive here is that Luka has a Finals run under his belt and can learn from it.

He probably has the best offensive bag in the NBA right now. If he wants to get to the next level, his defense and leadership ability need to start to catch up. Hopefully he uses this as a learning experience and grows from it.

I know it's his first Finals, but I think Dallas was hoping his leadership would be better than what it is at this point in his career, considering that he has been a professional athlete for almost a decade. That has me worried a bit.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by rhigh2390

I know it's his first Finals, but I think Dallas was hoping his leadership would be better than what it is at this point in his career, considering that he has been a professional athlete for almost a decade. That has me worried a bit.

Maybe it'll humble him a bit.

He looked natural as a winner, talking in Rudy's face, but he still has some work on learning how to lose, it seems.

[hermanotarjeta]

It’s over Johnny.

[pingbling23]

I want to see Luka shine and win titles but if missing the playoffs last year didn’t get him locked into his fitness then losing in the finals probably won’t either. He needs a body transformation to increase his stamina and better mobility may help with being a better defender

[Orangejello727]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Maybe it'll humble him a bit.

He looked natural as a winner, talking in Rudy's face, but he still has some work on learning how to lose, it seems.

He's got everything else. This is his first step in getting the experience of finals play. A large role of being successful is learning from the failures on your first couple of tries. Lets see if they can make a run again to get another chance if this year doesnt work out for them.

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by Orangejello727

He's got everything else. This is his first step in getting the experience of finals play. A large role of being successful is learning from the failures on your first couple of tries. Lets see if they can make a run again to get another chance if this year doesnt work out for them.

Absolutely. Although, those are pretty big things.

Another sport, but if he doesn't improve in a couple spots, he could wind up being the NBA's Aaron Rodgers (which isn't a very tough dig, i know). Nobody questions his ability, but things in his personality just not on the same level.

We'll see where it goes from here... it's pretty much up to him.

[Chris P]

It's been a big reality check..its one thing to get to the finals..but you gotta go even another level to win it all. It's an opportunity blown as there are no guarantees with other teams improving, the unpredictabilty of injuries etc. I really hope he uses this as motivation to really focus on getting better defensively.

[brothertona]

This is who he's been his entire career- he's consistently complaining to refs to bail him out of his brutal defense.

He doesn't care enough about that side of the court. I think he's figured he can give 80% and still be a superstar.

Originally Posted by tjforce

Well, if anything, the positive here is that Luka has a Finals run under his belt and can learn from it.

He probably has the best offensive bag in the NBA right now. If he wants to get to the next level, his defense and leadership ability need to start to catch up. Hopefully he uses this as a learning experience and grows from it.

[hermanotarjeta]

He simply doesn’t have that motivation to win.

Time to move on.

[SleepyWill]

Luka needs to work on conditioning and drop 10(ish) pounds of fat.

Stop bitching as much, truly hurting his team by jawing at the zebra's while his team is now dealing with a 4 v 5.

Play D

[Asian62150]

They got swept in the WCF 2 years ago and have since made the Finals.

You don't want to be leaving rings on the table, but hopefully Luka can learn from this and keep working on his game.

The West isn't going to be getting any easier though. Nuggets are still very formidable, Wolves could stick around if they're willing to pay the tax, OKC was the #1 seed and still so young, and oh yeah, Wemby is waiting in the wings.

[BambinoShuffle]

[tjforce]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

They got swept in the WCF 2 years ago and have since made the Finals.

You don't want to be leaving rings on the table, but hopefully Luka can learn from this and keep working on his game.

The West isn't going to be getting any easier though. Nuggets are still very formidable, Wolves could stick around if they're willing to pay the tax, OKC was the #1 seed and still so young, and oh yeah, Wemby is waiting in the wings.

Thing is, they aren't leaving a ring on the table this year.

Celtics are a better team. They have been all year and they are now. I get close to '07 Cavs vs Spurs vibes here, with a few of the differences being that LeBron was 22 and had a worse supporting cast, but regardless, playing a team that's much better.

I think the disappointment this series is that there hasn't been any 'Luka Magic'. And that isn't to say that he isn't playing well... he's averaging 30/9/6....but he's yet to have a game where he's just taken over and really wowed you the way guys like Jokic or Giannis have done recently in their first Finals appearance.

[PLB9eight]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Thing is, they aren't leaving a ring on the table this year.

Celtics are a better team. They have been all year and they are now. I get close to '07 Cavs vs Spurs vibes here, with a few of the differences being that LeBron was 22 and had a worse supporting cast, but regardless, playing a team that's much better.

I think the disappointment this series is that there hasn't been any 'Luka Magic'. And that isn't to say that he isn't playing well... he's averaging 30/9/6....but he's yet to have a game where he's just taken over and really wowed you the way guys like Jokic or Giannis have done recently in their first Finals appearance.

Agreed. The Celtics are deep and built to win. They cruised to the record they had.

[bloodwings19]

Luka needs to be get humbled. To me it is a little arrogant, he is always mouthing not only at refs, but at fans at almost every game. To have a fan get ejected for yelling at him is just prima donna stuff. He has a little Russell Westbrook in him always wanting to punch, or yell at fans. Mavericks BS injury report at almost every playoff game that he may not play, it is only blowing smoke so Luka can get excuses. How do you explain playing with injury and getting triple-double almost every game. He is on his way being Charley Barkley in thickness. It wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't play Game 4, DNP-fake injury. In the offseason, Mavs will say Luka was injured during the playoffs so he doesn't look bad getting swept.

[kluke84]

Series isn't even over yet! Plenty of time to change the narrative a bit. Let's see if they can pull one out tomorrow and push the series to Boston!

[GOATMJ]

Luka's personality is kinda trash...

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by tjforce

Thing is, they aren't leaving a ring on the table this year.

Celtics are a better team. They have been all year and they are now. I get close to '07 Cavs vs Spurs vibes here, with a few of the differences being that LeBron was 22 and had a worse supporting cast, but regardless, playing a team that's much better.

I think the disappointment this series is that there hasn't been any 'Luka Magic'. And that isn't to say that he isn't playing well... he's averaging 30/9/6....but he's yet to have a game where he's just taken over and really wowed you the way guys like Jokic or Giannis have done recently in their first Finals appearance.

That's fair. It does feel like the Mavs have to rely on Luka/Kyrie for most everything offensively (including a ton of dribbling) whereas Boston moves the ball around quickly and efficiently until they get a good/great shot.

And I agree Luka needs to focus on playing the game, not the refs. He did that against the Thunder or Wolves and they ended up winning the game. He even addressed it as getting back to just playing ball again.

I understand there's some politics in talking to the refs especially as a superstar, but if you have that "complaining" reputation you gotta scale is back a few notches.

[slugger22]

Originally Posted by GOATMJ

Luka's personality is kinda trash...

His antics on the court are getting old. Still not as bad as Lebron though.

[hermanotarjeta]

Originally Posted by slugger22

His antics on the court are getting old. Still not as bad as Lebron though.

Hear, hear!

[drobfan8]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

They got swept in the WCF 2 years ago and have since made the Finals.

You don't want to be leaving rings on the table, but hopefully Luka can learn from this and keep working on his game.

The West isn't going to be getting any easier though. Nuggets are still very formidable, Wolves could stick around if they're willing to pay the tax, OKC was the #1 seed and still so young, and oh yeah, Wemby is waiting in the wings.

I also don't see how they're leaving rings on the table.

They weren't supposed to even be in the WCF or the Finals this season.

Luka is overachieving and beating teams they're supposed to lose to.

I really believe it's going to be his league in a few years. In saying that, I'm concerned Dallas will never build a championship team around him.

He's currently running around with cast offs and unproven guys.

He definitely needs a bit more athleticism on the defensive end. But he's up against a really great team. These guys have made the finals before and THEN added Jrue and Zinger.

Could you imagine if Luka had Jrue, Zinger and D. White as his role players?

Boston are going to be very hard to beat. We may see a 3 peat from them.

He's not exactly getting any favours from the refs. Possibly because of his attitude. He needs to improve. He also gave some silly fouls away.