TAKE DAT WIT YOU 11/4

[mavsluvr]

I agree with this, but my perception is that Luka has had control of the ball and the offense for years now, going back to his Euro days. I question whether he is comfortable or accepting of being the passee instead of the passer.


It also potentially shortens the window for his magic. Somebody like JB brings it up, gets passed around for a while, then it gets to Luka with limited time to do anything creative other than try and get a shot off. Probably with someone in his face.

I understand this line of logic. But wonder to what degree it applies here. The Mavs' Plan A in the offseason was Kyle Lowry. They previously tried to sign Kemba Walker. Luka can't have thought, if those efforts had come to fruition, that he would be the only ball handler when he was on the court. He has successful experience playing mostly off the ball himself. This leads me to believe that Luka doesn't have a line-in-the-sand position to the effect that he has to have the ball at all times. 

As far as how that applies to his current situation, I keep being reminded of Kobe, in the days when Phil Jackson was trying to convince him to give the rock to the open man. He did a pretty funny send-up once, where he drew up a play where he was supposed to pass to Smush Parker, and said to the watchers, "Now, we all know that if I pass to Smush, he's just gonna screw this up, so I'm just gonna [make some move resulting in Kobe taking the shot himself]."

I seems to me that Luka is inclined to show frustration when he has to make or accept a move or play design that results in not making the best basketball decision in the moment. He has to pass to a guy who has a worse shot than he does, or a less talented facilitator brings up the ball and can't do anything with it, for example. He hates it when it happens, even though he probably knows that the long-term hopes are that his teammates become competent at their supporting roles, and that there will be no such gains without accompanying pains. 

It may be a while before we know for sure whether the more egalitarian offense turns out to be a grand success, an exercise in futility, or something in between.