Luka Doncic’s on-court fitness has been a major topic of discussion over the past few years, but the Slovenian decided to silence the critics once and for all during the offseason by putting in the work at the gym and getting shredded. Now, attention shifts to which aspect of his game this transformation will impact, and Tim MacMahon has highlighted one of the more under-the-radar areas.
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Defense was deemed Doncic’s biggest weakness. It’s also why Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison reportedly traded him to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. Whether that will improve in the 25-26 campaign remains to be seen. But Doncic’s behavior on court certainly should, according to MacMahon.
Doncic has landed himself in hot water with the officials countless times. In 2021, he led the league in technical fouls (17) and has even gone as far as sarcastically mocking referees, making money gestures to hint they were getting paid by the opposition. MacMahon feels that this was down to his physique, which made him tired and irritable in late games.
In an ESPN segment, the NBA insider revealed how even Doncic believes that was the reason behind his rants. “When there’s fatigue, there’s frustration. And when Luka’s frustrated, the refs are gonna hear about it,” MacMahon said.
The NBA has fined Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic $35,000 for making a money gesture toward referees on Wednesday night.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 24, 2023
“So maybe a better conditioned Luka — I’m not saying he can totally cut that out, but — can cut that down.”
It’s an aspect of Doncic’s court presence not many experts have analyzed, but one that makes sense. The fact that Doncic himself (according to MacMahon, at least) accepts why he would snap at refs mid-game shows that he had this in mind when he picked up the dumbbells in the summer.
That, and of course, his defensive woes.
The Los Angeles Lakers star is one of the best offensive players in the league today, and possibly of all time. However, he has not contributed much on the defensive end, which is crucial for a team aiming to win a championship. On that front, the Lakers may have just gotten the best version of Doncic they could possibly have dreamed of.
Leading Team Slovenia into the quarterfinals, Doncic averaged 37 points per game, the most in the tournament. That is not the surprise, or the big revelation. The real story is that Doncic also led the tournament in steals, averaging 2.7 per game. He added 7.3 defensive rebounds per game, showcasing his all-around game on the biggest international stage of the year.
The NBA is different, and more physical. Steals, blocks, and defending in the paint won’t be as easy. But the signs are there that Doncic has elevated other aspects of his game. Couple that with a mindset change, and we could be seeing the Lakers man winning the MVP this coming season.
