In the four months since suspension, players have been working on their bodies. With NBA’s return just around the corner, focus shifts to players’ fitness after this unplanned mid-season break. Nikola Jokic has had an unimaginable transformation. James Harden lost 20 lbs and is ready for playoffs. However, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic seems to be out of shape as reported by his trainer Jure Draksler.
In an interview with a Russian news outlet, Jure Draksler said Luka Doncic’s conditioning isn’t where it’s supposed to be right now.
“He is not in the best shape, which is normal. NBA games will not be played before the end of July, so there is enough time to help him recover and get ready. Most players struggled to stay in shape. Doncic is no exception,”
He believes there is enough time for Luka to recover. Jure reported that Luka has been under rigorous training for the past 3 weeks and will recover in no time. In addition, he has been following a strict diet to get back into action. To further clarify, Jure said he undoubtedly would be ready to play a game right now.
Luka Doncic is important for Mavericks’ playoff push
Luka Doncic’s fitness should be particularly concerning for Dallas Mavericks. He is their primary scorer and playmaker. With Kristaps Porzingis injured he is the go-to player. Dallas Mavericks were 7th in the western conference before the suspension and are among the 22 teams invited to Orlando. They are most likely to be matched up with Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of Playoffs.
Entering hiatus Luka was averaging 28.7 points a game, 9.3 rebounds, and 8.7 assists. He had a spectacular month right before the suspension with multiple triple-doubles all while battling ankle and thumb injuries.
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Jure Dreksler reached out to The Athletic’s Tim Cote to clarify his comments. He says his statement was misinterpreted after translation and assures fans that Luka is aware of his role in the Mavericks.
i talked to Luka‘s Slovenian trainer Jure Drakslar this morning and have a q&a with him coming tomorrow. in the meantime, he wanted me to share this statement on his “out of shape” quote that’s been going around — since the quote is inaccurate and a mistranslation. pic.twitter.com/kFMS7hqBGf
— tim cato (@tim_cato) June 11, 2020
Unless Dallas Mavericks manage to grab 6th or 5th seed in the remaining regular-season games, their first-round matchup will be difficult to get past. Kristaps Porzingis was out for most part of the season due to Knee injury and Luka Doncic missed a few games due to ankle injury. Mavs need their star players to be in perfect health after the season resumes for a legitimate title run.