So I couldn’t help but be reminded of Larry Bird, and I googled the topic, and someone had written an article saying that Bird was way better, citing clutch shots to win games over his career, and MVPs and rings. Fair enough. But Luka is right now the age of Bird when Bird was a rookie. The article made much of Bird having a better 3-point average, but in the comparing first 3 years in the league, Luka’s is better than Larry’s was, and he scores about 5 more points a game, has more assists, and has 8.5 rebounds compared to Larry’s 10 (which he ended up keeping as an average his whole career). So most of the things that Larry Bird has on his resume came later. Ja Morant is amazing, but you think of him as a baby; he and Luka were both born in 1999. Maybe in Dallas, this has been beat to death, but in Austin, the main time I see or think of Doncic is in the playoffs.
He'll probably get an MVP or two. As for the championship ring... once he leaves Dallas probably. Bird comparisons are kind of strange because I don't see Luka play that style. Bird had apt guards and bigs around him. Luka's more of a one-man show. I think Lebron pre-Miami is a better comparison for Doncic. Jordan pre-Pippen. Westbrook post-Durant. Tracy McGrady on pretty much any team he ever played for.
I see what you mean as far as being ball-dominant. He does play a one-man show, but I would like to think that that is because he’s never played with anyone who could even dream of starting for the Bird-era Celtics. I’d also like to think I’m not just comparing him because of the whiteness. But they are of similar size and strength, and it’s great natural strength that has no real weight room muscle development. They both are slow-twitch, often appearing to be the slowest person on the court but somehow using timing and leverage, they manage to dribble past the defender or get the guy off balance and suddenly be unguarded. They both seem to see all 10 players on the court as plays develop. They are both dead eye outside shooters for being so big—and capable of rebounding against the biggest guys. Good passers. So, I guess it’s kind of an eye test. Could he mix with the warriors (as KD did) or the suns or the bucks? We know that on any team in history, Bird could start, mix in, and make the team better. I guess we don’t know that about Luka, but as I said up top, he is only right now the age of Bird when Bird was a rookie.
imo the Bird comparisons make sense because of his ability to control the speed of the possession. sometimes he looks slow motion weaving in/around the paint. and he can play with the ball like Bird. i think early lebron is the closest. but i agree his ball dominance is due to his amazing talent and lack thereof around him. he is looking to pass though. and does it beautifully (better than Bird, Lebron, or Jordan). his court awareness and vision are more like Kidd (big PG with similar awareness. he is as old this year as Bird was as a rookie. i think we should let that sink in. he's the Next imo. I love watching Ja. He's so exciting. Not as good as Luka though.
I don't watch the NBA at all but they were saying on the radio this morning he's looking a little pudgy these days. Is he getting a beer gut?
i think he's always going to wrestle with that. he's not svelte like a WR. he's thicc like a lineman.
So, yeah, the more I have gotten to watch Luka, the less he looks like Larry Bird. Other than I’m hoping the Mavs win, he’s not that much fun to watch. James Harden is a better comparison, or Kyrie in a fat suit. No doubt he’s good; as said, I hope the mavs go far.
Wow!!@#$% Mavs kick serious *** in this game 7 playoff in Phoenix!!! 123 - 90 and it was not that close....
You’re so right! A serious butt kicking was administered tonight. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it.
He's picking them off one at a time! Mitchell and Gobert...pow pow CP3, Booker, Bridges, Ayton... pow pow pow pow Steph, Klay, Poole...
Nah, it looks more like when you see an old college friend in their 30s who's mostly aged well but just gained an extra 10-20 lbs and you can't see it on their gut yet but their face looks just slightly rounder and their neck/throat slightly looser. Yeah think it's a "white guys" thing because Bird was a post who could play outside also and Luka is a big wing who might even have been considered a guard 20-30 years ago. Luka's most similar to Tatum right now although not as good on defense. Historically, it's hard to say - James Worthy? John Havlicek? George Gervin? Paul Pierce?