MAVS NEWS:

[SleepingHero]

Things that make you go hmmm…

How can you say he’s like the greats when his actions are more like Barkley, Harden, Embiid?

He still has time to write his story but I’m not sure I believe anymore.

How can I say he's one of the greats despite some of his actions painting a different story? Because his story is still being written. Jordan had his moments of sheer debauchery during his playing days too. I remember all too well Jordan heading to Atlantic City in the middle of the playoffs to gamble and smoke cigars all night before a playoff game. 

Only reason no one ever cares (in fact it's celebrated as apart of his legend) is because Jordan won, and won a lot. Not just by playoff standards, but in the regular season too.

Luka has had his fair share of insane individual brilliance on the level of those greats, but never the consistent winning that usually comes along with that brilliance. Of course we can all explain it with very legitimate reasons as to WHY it hasn't happened. I.E. Dumb front office with Donnie setting this team back years. Carlisle losing the locker room. KP literally tanking his way out of here. Losing Brunson for free. Cuban. etc. etc. 

None of these horrific plot points are Luka's fault, and in fact, the Mavs being able to win so much despite so much turmoil should be a feather in Luka's cap. But the things we're critiquing him on has become so frustrating because it is SO EASY TO JUST NOT DO IT! Just DON'T yell at the refs. JUST PLAY YOUR GAME. He's always been this fiery competitor that feeds on confrontation so I don't want him to radically change his game, but there's a big difference in yelling at an opposing player or fan vs. the refs and we can all tell when Luka starts to hunt the call. 

It's a two way street. Currently Luka has run out of runway to be afforded "he'll grow out of these maturity things." now. And every game the Mavs lose in this steep Western conference will fall directly on his shoulders as long as he continues to shit the bed. 

His game against Denver wasn't even that bad until he decided to hoist up a logo 3 in crunch time and then turned the ball over in the final 2 minutes. Boneheaded stuff that isn't injury related and something he's literally never done in his career (at least this often). 

As always, I am in Luka's corner. I will always pull for him. I know he will pull out of this slump, sooner most likely than later....But his performances so far this season deserves some measured critiques that aren't just "Luka's fat lol"