Luka Dončić has loads in frequent with the best gamers ever to step on an NBA courtroom.
And you may add one other factor to the record: his bounce-back functionality, which is one thing all the nice ones possess.
When Steph Curry had a 21-point night time and 7-of-17 taking pictures earlier this season, he rebounded with a 33-point, nine-assist gem in a win over Miami that included 7-of-14 three-point taking pictures.
Giannis Antetokounmpo began this season with a ho-hum 21-point night time, however responded in Sport No. 2 with 44 factors.
That is what the nice gamers do. They may have a recreation or two when the numbers aren’t as much as their lofty requirements.
These funks by no means appear to final lengthy.
So for Luka, the comeback from his two recreation journey when he wanted 50 pictures to attain 46 factors in losses to Orlando and Washington required a powerful retort.
He posted 42 factors, 13 rebounds and 10 assists and aggressively attacked the basket. He went to the free-throw line 18 instances.
And he additionally turned a facilitator at crunch time when the Portland Path Blazers had been decided to not let him beat them.
“He’s human, however I believe dropping two in a row, not taking part in effectively – the fellows who’ve seen him essentially the most (know) he’s all the time bounced again,” coach Jason Kidd mentioned. “And that’s what he did. He may have simply taken the sport off to get some relaxation, however he fought to place us in place to win.”
Which the Mavericks did, 117-112 by outscoring the Blazers 25-14 within the closing 6:40.
And Kidd couldn’t overemphasize the free-throw line.
“When he was actually going offensively, he was attending to the free-throw line,” Kidd mentioned. “He was aggressive. And he will get our guys so many wide-open seems to be – we didn’t shoot the ball extraordinarily effectively, but when he continues todo that on this marathon we’ll be capable of knockdown some pictures for him.”
His teammates count on to try this, too.
“He’s like anyone else – Luka’s Luka,” mentioned Josh Inexperienced. “He’s a human being. He’s not going to play the identical each recreation. However we all know he’s going to bounce again. He’s been an excellent chief. We all know he has our again simply as a lot as we’ve his.”
Wooden’s significance is obvious: Possibly it’s coincidence, perhaps not. However the Mavericks first dropping streak got here at Orlando and Washington final week in video games that Christian Wooden missed with a knee drawback.
He returned Saturday in opposition to Portland with 19 factors, six rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes earlier than fouling out.
And the Mavericks gained.
If the Mavericks are going to achieve any heights near what they achieved final season, Wooden goes to must be a major purpose why.
The best way Wooden performed in opposition to the Blazers was essential. And past the numbers, he offers the Mavericks a technique to play a medium-sized lineup that may be profitable in opposition to greater opponents or in opposition to small-ball lineups just like the one the Blazers employed.
“C-Wooden did a extremely good job earlier than fouling out,” Kidd mentioned. “His capacity to attain, capacity to rebound, issues we’ve missed up to now, is one thing I believe he brings to the desk.”
And it gained’t be uncommon, Kidd mentioned, for Wooden to be taking part in with a smaller lineup.
“We’re not simply trying on the pictures,” he mentioned. “We’d like him defensively. We had him in there after which we went small-ball simply to take a look at one thing totally different with Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith) taking part in the 5 that we noticed final 12 months that gave us a bit of spark. And it was huge for us (in opposition to Portland).”
Dog days: To interrupt up a protracted season, coaches search for any type of enjoyable they will inject into the every day routine.
For the Mavericks, it got here Sunday within the type of a bring-your-family-to-practice invitation from the coaches.
And by household, we imply children, pets and some other elements of the household that wished to attend.
“I assumed the fellows did an excellent job bringing their households or their animals in yesterday,” Kidd mentioned. “So everybody had fun. And that’s the way in which it must be, particularly on a Sunday. Guys received what (work) they wanted and received to look at some soccer and to convey their children to work or their pets was enjoyable.”
Kidd mentioned the choice was made after Saturday’s recreation to present everyone an opportunity to affix within the enjoyable.
Requested concerning the peril of canine doing what canine generally must do on the apply courtroom, Kidd mentioned: “I can’t say that there wasn’t (an accident). But it surely was a fast clear up, nobody harm.”
In fact, Luka’s canine was one of many foremost sights.
“Luka’s canine, it’s a wolf,” Inexperienced mentioned. “That’s a wolf, not a canine.”
Twitter: @ESefko
