SUMMARY
- The Dallas Mavericks currently rank eighth in a packed Western Conference.
- Luka Doncic has been their best player averaging 34.6 points, 9 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game.
Luka Doncic has been nothing short of impressive this season. He will certainly dominate the league in the coming years. However, despite his top-notch performances, the Dallas Mavericks still seem to be struggling a little bit. In all fairness, the Western Conference has been extremely competitive and tight lately. Teams like the LA Clippers, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings have clogged up the middle berths with extremely similar records.
But Doncic and his team have great pieces to work with and it doesn’t seem fitting to be amongst Play-In Tournament talks. So far, he has been averaging 34.6 points, 9 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game. This is the best season of his career in terms of scoring and assists as well. Doncic has already attracted comparisons to LeBron James and some believe he could become a serious GOAT debate entry.
Chandler Parsons believes Luka Doncic plays just like this 2x MVP
Chandler Parsons was in the league for just under a decade. He has seen Luka Doncic on the floor and he probably understands how the 25-year-old plays the game. During a recent episode of FanDuel’s Run It Back, Parsons said, “I think he’s an unbelievable talent. He’s literally a guard version of Jokic, where he could do everything. He’s mesmerizing with the basketball. But as a teammate, it’s a little exhausting watching the same sh*t over and over again.”
Chandler Parsons thinks it’s ‘exhausting’ being Luka Doncic’s teammate and watching him control the ball
“I think [Luka Doncic] is an unbelievable talent, he’s literally a guard version of [Nikola] Jokic, where he can do anything…But as a teammate, it’s a little exhausting… pic.twitter.com/t0eX5t3CCw
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 8, 2024
The former Dallas Mavericks player claims that Doncic closely resembles Nikola Jokic’s game. However, unlike Jokic, the Slovenian athlete mostly takes control of the game by himself. Parsons believes that it is probably frustrating for Luka’s teammates to keep watching him take shots and not involve anybody else as much. But this may be an exception for Kyrie Irving, who is also comparatively ball-dominant. Irving is possibly the only other Mavericks player who gets to call plays.
Should Luka Doncic involve Kyrie Irving and his team more?
It was during the 2021-22 season that the Mavericks made a Western Conference Finals appearance against the Golden State Warriors. Irving was not a part of the team and Doncic single-handedly led the Mavericks to a deep playoff run. Dallas has since upgraded its roster by acquiring the former NBA champion and players like Derrick Jones Jr. and PJ Washington.
“I think [Luka Doncic] is an unbelievable talent, he’s literally a guard version of [Nikola] Jokic, where he can do anything…But as a teammate, it’s a little exhausting watching the same s*** over and over again.”@ChandlerParsons on Luka Doncic. pic.twitter.com/tZBT7sPXke
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 8, 2024
Just like Parsons said, Doncic currently has the best supporting cast around him. He added, “Do what Jokic does, find a way to do it to keep everybody happy and to win games.” Right now, Dallas ranks eighth in the West with a 35-28 record. A few more consistent wins could easily get them to fifth place. However, more losses will push them deep down the ladder.