2024-04-22 03:43:35
At the press conference, Luka Doncic, whose native language is not English, generally doesn’t speak much, especially when asked “What is the difference between the current Mavericks and 2020 and 2021 ( once morest the Clippers)?”gave a concise and confident answer。
“This time we have Kyrie.”
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Kyrie Irving has been the most popular player in the league for many years, and his brilliant creative play has also won him the appreciation of many peers. Luka Doncic is the one who congratulates him most generously. If you want to choose the X factor that will influence the outcome of this battle, who will Luka give his vote of confidence? The answer should be obvious, and the relationship of trust between the two should be obvious.
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Former foes the Lone Ranger and the Clippers are regarding to begin their third showdown. Although Luka was not as strong as he is now the first two times, the newborn’s fearless spirit really left a deep impression on the Clippers. took a lot of effort to find a solution. Now he wasn’t the only one they had to worry regarding.
Irving just turned 32 last month. This season, he has missed at least 6 games twice due to injuries. During this period, the team’s record was not very satisfactory. In the end, he played a total of 58 games in the regular season, the second highest number since the 2018-19 season; following returning in early February, he played in 31 consecutive games, setting a personal best since 2016.
Since February 5, Irving has averaged 26.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals, and his three field goal percentages have reached the highest level of “50/ 40/90”. There are various signs that Irving’s condition is returning to a high level. As long as he and Doncic stay healthy, it’s not a crazy dream to chase victory and “conquer the top.”
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Looking back at the first confrontation between Luka Doncic and the Clippers, the NBA was still shrouded in the haze of the epidemic at that time and the game was moved to the Disney bubble. The combination of Kristaps Porzingis and Doncic was on the right track. Unfortunately, Porzingis missed the game due to injury. Doncic never received enough support and had no choice but to suffer his first defeat.
The following year, the Mavericks faced the Clippers once more. Doncic grew stronger and stronger, although he was able to single-handedly keep the match in a tug-of-war; However, as the game entered the second half, Doncic’s fitness declined significantly in the final quarter of the seven-game series, his shooting percentage dropped to 35% and his outside shooting percentage was lower at 30%, with more than double-digit assists but 9 turnovers, and was finally eliminated with a score of “3-4”.
The Mavericks now have Irving, but the Clippers also added James Harden. As a star, the responsibility on Luka Doncic’s shoulders will not be easier than before. He must be ready to overcome challenges from Harden, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, as all superstars have overcome. The good news is that Derrick Jones Jr. and PJ Washington can definitely provide some help, and the situation won’t be as isolated as in previous years.
No matter who guards Luka Doncic, it is predictable that the Clippers will specifically target him and make pick-and-roll decisions. As long as Luka can move his body, even if it only consumes a little energy each time, he has achieved strategic success. Perhaps the Mavericks might turn off the ball in advance, as they did in the 2022 playoffs, to reduce Luka’s burden at the source and avoid later unknown risks.
In recent weeks, Luka has been very active in defense and will not be a problem for the team. Although it is not perfect, it is still an important factor for the Mavericks to move to the first line of defense and finish with “16 wins and 2 losses”. March can be called the turning point of the season.
With Leonard’s injury unclear, the duo of Doncic and Irving will have more space to play and must seize such winning conditions. This is indeed Luka Doncic’s team. His scoring in the current playoffs is only lower than that of Michael Jordan, but the presence of Irving makes that responsibility heavier. Being like a fish to water is exactly the way to describe this relationship.
Yes, the Mavericks have Irving. This is the biggest difference between them and 2020 and 2021. This is the key to making opponents fear them more. The addition of Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively inside can effectively improve the ability to protect the frame and reduce dropped points; but if the offensive winger still only relies on Doncic to shoot regularly, he will only fall into the same situation as before.
The previous duos weren’t bad, but they mightn’t provide the same level of help as Irving. Irving has repeatedly mentioned that he found his home in Dallas, and Doncic has made no secret of his respect for him – following all, he knows better than anyone how Irving personally changed everything.
From defeat to greatness, from the abyss to the dark horse of the playoffs, they are finally back.
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