Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic fell short in the NBA Finals. The MVP candidate struggled on defense and was consistently targeted throughout the series.
The Boston Celtics’ game plan clearly involved wearing down the All-Star guard. Doncic’s conditioning has been a concern for NBA fans since he entered the league.
After struggling on the world’s biggest stage, Doncic should expect a continued flurry of criticism to come his way. Most of that criticism will be centered around his conditioning. Former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas was among the first to voice his concerns.
“Luka has to just get in shape,” Arenas said on the “Gil’s Arena” podcast. “…They’re going to pick on you because they know the only way to neutralize you is to get you in foul trouble and get you tired. Like any defender, we know we can’t guard you offensively. You’re just that gifted. So we’re going to have to beat you on the defensive end.”
As the criticism begins to pour in, Doncic would be wise to follow the example of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. The three-time MVP was consistently questioned regarding his lack of fitness before he helped the Nuggets win a championship while emerging as a perennial MVP candidate. Jokic proved that you can win with exceptional skill, even when you’re not among the top-tier athletes.
Like Jokic, Doncic’s skill level is unquestionable. At his best, he’s unstoppable on offense. Doncic must find a way to improve on defense, though. If that means improving his conditioning, then so be it. Yet, he could also work on controlling the angle and relying on his basketball IQ rather than his outright physical abilities.
Doncic lost to a team that was full of two-way talent. He saw the value of elite defense first hand. Now, he must find a way of improving his defensive skill set without losing what makes him great on offense. Jokic faced a similar path during the early parts of his career. As such, there should be nothing but faith that Doncic will figure it out, sooner rather than later.
