PLAYOFFS ROUND 2: #1 PHX (3-4) vs. #4 DAL (4-3) | DAL advances to WCF!

[Jason Terry]

Yes you have.  I have to think this series has been an embarrassment.  He looks terrible defensively.  I think the best version of Luka is 25/26 points and 12 assists and 10 rebounds with at least average D.  I don’t want him to ever be the MVP because it probably means he’s at 30 a game and over 22 shots.

Between the outstanding Clippers series and the Olympics, Luka probably felt like little needed to change.  The changes needed are subtle.  Come into the season in fantastic shape.  Don’t be so bad at D that teams target you.  Don’t disrupt the excellent ball movement that occurs when you sit.  Of course, none of that matters unless we get some upgrades elsewhere.  I also don’t think he does himself any favors with the Ref’s.  A lot of what needs to happen is just growing up a bit more.  He’s a man child out there and it is easy to forget he’s just 23.

Edit:  I’ll add one thing related to D.  He’s got a similar savant sixth sense defensively when he wants to.  I’ve seen him make the kind of important winning plays on D that Kidd made late in games late in his career.  But, he has to want to make those plays rather than resting at that end of the court.

I like to think that Q4 of game 2 will be the moment when he realizes what he needs to do after he was exposed in an embarrassing way.

1. get his body in shape in the offseason 

2. take defense seriously and work on ways to improve 

3. grow up and stop arguing with fans/players/refs. Instead use that as fuel

4. learn to manage and close a game like a CP3 does. Work on the chess moves and get his teammates involved. Drop the hero ball when it’s counterproductive 

These are simple changes that would take him and the team to another level. He has to want it though. All signs show that he does