Fun Luka stat:
18-19: 25blks in 72 games
19-20: 14blks in 61 games
20-21: 18blks in 26 games
Certainly not telling us a lot when it comes to his overall defense but it shows that he is more agressive. Trying to make plays and challenge shots.
This is the best he has looked at the FT line in his career...his 3-pt shot will come and go as I just think he'll be that type of streaky shooter. But I've been wanting to see him be more dominant at free throw shooting and he's finally starting to show it.
Luka shooting....
47.5% / 33.5% / 79.5% for the season.
Last 12 games?
49.5% / 40.7% / 84.5%
Could he be turning into a good shooter?!
![[Image: giphy.gif]](https://media.giphy.com/media/xT5P0WEiP5n4WMGUG4/giphy.gif)
Thing is with Luka, what happened to his defensive improvement? He has to rise to at least the level of a neutral defender - which he is not right now - in order for the Mavs to be able to build around him effectively.
(02-15-2021, 09:54 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: [ -> ]Thing is with Luka, what happened to his defensive improvement? He has to rise to at least the level of a neutral defender - which he is not right now - in order for the Mavs to be able to build around him effectively.
I thought his defense has been around the same level after we've noticed his marked improvement. I've unironically said to myself while watching that Luka can be considered for an All-Defense team this year.
(02-16-2021, 02:03 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]I thought his defense has been around the same level after we've noticed his marked improvement. I've unironically said to myself while watching that Luka can be considered for an All-Defense team this year.
He has the lowest DRPM on the entire team. That's hard to do. He's still quite bad.
(02-16-2021, 02:56 AM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: [ -> ]He has the lowest DRPM on the entire team. That's hard to do. He's still quite bad.
I don't know if having 1 below average stat means he's still a bad defender. Especially RPM, which is a lineup based stat. I mean Tyrell Terry is ranked 20th in the league among all PG's in DRPM for example, and I don't think we're calling him our best defender.
All I'm trying to say is that the eye test has continued to show to me that Luka's defense is markedly improved. Could he still get better? Of course and I'm not trying to say he's a perfect defender. But I wouldn't call him a bad defender anymore.
(02-16-2021, 11:33 AM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]All I'm trying to say is that the eye test has continued to show to me that Luka's defense is markedly improved. Could he still get better? Of course and I'm not trying to say he's a perfect defender. But I wouldn't call him a bad defender anymore.
I agree that Luka has been better on defense this season. I also agree with others who think he still has a long way to go, but I feel much more confident that he'll improve further now that I've seen the improvement made to get to this point. He seems focused on figuring that end of the floor out, which can only be a good thing.
Luka has improved his defense but the problems remain the same. Effort and consistency. Good example: He probably had the best defensive game of his career against Hayward and the Hornets. Lockdown on ball D combined with good help defense. 2Stl/4Blks. I expected the same energy in the next game against the Bucks but he wasn´t even trying to contest shots or stay in front of Holiday.
(02-16-2021, 11:52 AM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: [ -> ]Luka has improved his defense but the problems remain the same. Effort and consistency. Good example: He probably had the best defensive game of his career against Hayward and the Hornets. Lockdown on ball D combined with good help defense. 2Stl/4Blks. I expected the same energy in the next game against the Bucks but he wasn´t even trying to contest shots or stay in front of Holiday.
Totally, but doesn't the knowledge that he's capable of the Hayward defense assuage your fears somewhat?
(02-16-2021, 11:54 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]Totally, but doesn't the knowledge that he's capable of the Hayward defense assuage your fears somewhat?
Shouldn't this thought extend to KP then? He had a 6 block night recently.
(02-16-2021, 11:54 AM)KillerLeft Wrote: [ -> ]Totally, but doesn't the knowledge that he's capable of the Hayward defense assuage your fears somewhat?
Of couse. Especially because I already saw his improved defense in the playoffs. Just a difficult situation right now because the entire team plays terrible defense. With a better supporting cast or at least a better team defense it wouldn´t even matter. It´s not like other superstars aren´t doing the same. LeBron hasn´t played any defense in the regular season since he left Miami. Kawhi since he left the Spurs.
Sadly we haven´t reached that point yet and right now it would be really helpful if Luka would also take over on defense. Obviously asking for a lot because the Mavs basically need him to score at least 30-40pts to have a chance against mediocre opponents.
(02-16-2021, 12:20 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: [ -> ]Shouldn't this thought extend to KP then? He had a 6 block night recently.
KP's issues on defense I feel stem more on foundational stuff rather than lack of effort.
He's shown he can be a top rim protector, and I have no fears of him returning to that level once he gets back into shape. But he does have a certain limitation in guarding PnR's as a big man. He either drops too low and gives a shot, or goes to high and gets blown by. He needs to be more fluid as Killer likes to say.
But I agree with you. KP can be a great defender, and a lot of people's leashes on him are too short.
(02-16-2021, 12:20 PM)ItsGoTime Wrote: [ -> ]Shouldn't this thought extend to KP then? He had a 6 block night recently.
Yes, 6 blocks in a game against a player much smaller than him who had very little in his bag. 6 blocks against a team that was completely unable to get KP out of the paint, which would have forced him to cover ground that he can't cover in order to get to those blocks.
That game would've been encouraging if I thought any other team would play directly into his strengths like that. What we've actually seen (from every other team) is that teams target KP and his poor lateral movement as the keystone of their entire offensive approach against the Mavs.
I hope he improves, but I'm way past betting on it.
(02-16-2021, 12:22 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]KP's issues on defense I feel stem more on foundational stuff rather than lack of effort.
This.
I don't think KP's issues on defense recently are comparable to Luka's. Whether you think KP's problems are temporary or not, it's clear that they're due, at least in part, to physical limitation.
Luka's recent improvements prove that his are not. That was kind of my original point regarding Luka.
(02-16-2021, 12:22 PM)SleepingHero Wrote: [ -> ]But he does have a certain limitation in guarding PnR's as a big man. He either drops too low and gives a shot, or goes to high and gets blown by. He needs to be more fluid as Killer likes to say.
Those things are specific that can be taught and worked on too though. It's instinct on how and when that some players just have and others have to learn. Gobert gets blown by too, but he uses his length to make up the difference. KP has that length too, the length that you can't teach.
![[Image: EuElL3JXEAUD118?format=jpg&name=large]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EuElL3JXEAUD118?format=jpg&name=large)