GAME 49: WAS (21-26) @ DAL (25-24) | 126-127 loss

[Kammrath]

I think the frustrating thing is most of Luka’s issues are self inflicted.  The whining and causing a 5-on-4 scoring opportunity for the other team is a decision.  The choosing to take a night off (while playing) against bad teams is a decision.  The giving away points on techs is a decision.  Just about every game he jacks up a bad 3 because he’s tired.  That is a decision.  There are four other NBA players on the floor who are all capable of taking a horrible shot.  And who knows, maybe every once in a while they will take a good shot.

He’s highly capable of excellent D and chooses to turn it on and off.  Giving up the sideline on that last foul where Green came to double would have gotten anyone else absolutely roasted on this board.  It was a bad foul and to then call for a review just destroys credibility when he has legitimate complaints.

The issue isn’t whether Luka is great or not.  It is the things he does to tarnish his greatness.  Most are easily corrected.  I think it is a lost opportunity for roster growth for Luka to not get others more involved.  I get that a Luka shot is super-efficient.  29 shots…really.  How do we expect others to get any rhythm.  The doubles are going to keep coming to close out games and someone else has to be ready to hit a game winner.  There has to be some investment in plays that allow others to contribute earlier in the game so they are ready when needed.  This too is a decision.  I don’t buy the argument that Luka isn’t a selfish player.  Not when he takes the technical FT’s when there are often multiple better FT shooters on the floor when he does it.  Not when he makes sure the scoring table knows when he tips a ball so they know it is his steal or his block.  Or, when he shoots an air ball that ends up as an assist and his highest priority in that moment is making sure he gets the assist.  Luka is very much about his stats.

I’m pleased that Luka often takes the blame for bad outings.  To blame others would be a bad look and he’s smarter than that.  But, I’m less bothered by a missed FT or failing to get either of those last two passes to SD than I am the dozen correctable things he does wrong throughout the game.  To me it is all these terrible habits he has that lead to us needing to win last second games against bad teams (who are often missing their stars).  Yeah, the roster is trash…I get that.  But Luka’s On-Court isn’t MVP level.  It is 3-point-something just like it has been for three straight years (including last season when we were much more successful as a team).  He could turn his own personal impact on winning to 6-8 points at the drop of a hat if he dedicated himself to doing it.  He’s that great.  Kidd’s biggest failure isn’t how he treated Wood or stuck with McGee to long or doesn’t play Josh enough.  It is that he fails to hold Luka accountable.  Luka is so talented that he literally gets bored playing NBA games.  Someone needs to show him that the path to greatness for him is through consistency.  He has every other element to his game that he needs besides that.