(01-17-2021, 12:50 AM)pompelmo Wrote: When Luka reacts to Rick that way, Rick is helpless. He can only coach Luka to the extend that Luka allows him. Luka can either be Lebron and diminish his coach to dust, or be Duncan and let him coach. The star player is the boss in the NBA.
I think Luka wants to understand why there was no timeout made. That is not fully the same as he will never understand this, after he gets the explanation.
He reacts very quickly and with body language, to many similar situations, involving refs, opposing players, etc.. I think when you know the guy and knows that he reacts that way (and the coach and his teammates know him very well know), then it does not make the coach or the teammates helpless as you write. They know he is trying to understand what happens, and he doesnt understand that in that very moment.
This would be the case (coach being helpless) if Luka kept not agreeing with this decision, even after this was explained to him.
I am quiet sure they have talked about it and he understands the decision now. It was also clear from his interview that the coaches decision is the right one.
I think its important to differentiate between the question in trying to understand why this was so, and the other thing being disagreement on the decision.
The way we can think of this, is in my opinion in this way: Most players would be able to wait for team meeting to get the coach to explain the reasoning why no timeout was made. And, this was the right decision by the coach, the opposing defense was indeed not set, and Mavs got two shots, and still preserved the timeout. Luka on other hand, is I think so quiet keen on winning and improving and understanding, that he wants to understand right away what happened. He cant wait for team meetings in same way as some other players.
If he would on other hand, after the coaches explanation, not agree on the decision, and try play coach of the team on his own, this would be a completely different incident. This is serious. This leaves the coach helpless.
However, if a player asks the coach what happened, and why, to understand the game better, and he agrees after the explanation is made, no matter where that occurs, the team meeting or during or after the game, there is nothing serious in this. In fact, this is great, this is the way you learn the game.