“Larry Bird would rip your heart out, I’m not seeing that in Luka Doncic”: Skip Bayless rips Mavericks star after deflating game 1 performance vs. Warriors

Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic is proving he’s one of the best NBA players currently, but Skip Bayless still believes there’s a missing killer mindset from him.

The Mavericks guard has shown that he’s capable of being the face of the league one day, dominating opponents in his first two playoff series.

His upset against the #1 seed Suns was especially impressive, and it showed exactly why Luka is well on his way to becoming a top five or even top three player in the league.

However, now he has to face the Golden State Warriors who are looking to restart their dynasty. Behind Curry’s stellar play, Jordan Poole’s ascension, and Klay Thompson’s return, the Warriors seem the best equipped to win the Finals this year.

Luka faces a tough challenge after a humiliating game 1 loss, but if you know anything about Luka, you’ll know that going down doesn’t deter a person like him.

Also Read: “Michael Jordan realized even if he shot 40 times, he couldn’t overcome some teams”: Phil Jackson dished on how Bulls no. 23 started trusting his teammates

Skip Bayless harshly compares Luka Doncic and Larry Bird

Luka was absolutely shut down in game 1. The Warriors held him to just 20 points on 6 of 18 shooting, something the Mavs superstar isn’t used to seeing in the boxscore.

Steve Kerr knows that it will be tough for Golden State to replicate the same kind of defensive performance again though.

“He’s too good,” Kerr commented. “One game we did an excellent job defensively, but we are under no illusion that we’ve figured anything out. There’s a good chance those shots start going in next game, so we just have to stay committed and stay aggressive and play with force and see what happens.”

Luka took responsibility for his poor shooting night, stating he just had to be better going forward. “I’ve got to be better. That’s on me,” Doncic said. “They did a great job. As a leader, I’ve got to be better for the whole group.”

How exactly did the Warriors stop Doncic? For one, Wiggins played exceptional defense, pressuring Luka throughout, even picking him up in the backcourt. They also locked down the paint and kept Luka away from the basket. Doncic is at his best when he’s driving to the lane and creating opportunities for himself or his teammates. So, even though Luka is a good shooter, forcing him to settle for jumpshots is the best way to counter him.

After game 1, Skip Bayless had some scathing comments for Luka, claiming that he didn’t put fear in the heart of his opponents like the way someone comparable like Larry Bird used to. Skip is known for his wild comments, but it’s sometimes worth entertaining just to see how crazy he can get with his takes.

Also Read: “Gerald Wallace, I bet you $500,000 I’ll make this b*tch”: When Kobe Bryant stared down Nets star at charity stripe and put half a million dollars on his free throws

Post Edited By: Ashish Priyadarshi
Dallas Mavericks Golden State Warriors Larry Bird Luka Doncic NBA

About the author

Ashish Priyadarshi

Ashish Priyadarshi is The SportsRush's content manager and editor. Ashish freelanced for 1 year in the NFL division before taking on an editorial role in the company. He then tacked on managing content while adding on a writing role in the NBA division. Ashish has been closely following the NFL and NBA since the 2012 season when the Patriots lost the Super Bowl and Derrick Rose was at the height of his powers. Since then, Ashish has focused on honing his knowledge for both leagues in, even writing crossover pieces. In his free time, Ashish is an avid basketball player, he loves to watch movies and TV shows, immersing himself in the cinematic world. Ashish studies computer science and data science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and would love to mesh his love for sports with his technical skills.

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