The Dallas Mavericks went into the NBA All-Star Break with a 35-24 record, good for fifth place in the Western Conference. Given the unfortunate run the Utah Jazz have been on as of late, fourth-place seems very much within reach.
Prior to the break, Dallas made the decision to trade away Kristaps Porzingis. Owner Mark Cuban was very blunt on how he felt about that move, as was team star Luka Doncic.
The message behind it was clear, though – the front office didn’t feel like Doncic needed him to perform at a high level.
This week, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd delivered a blunt message to his young star regarding the expectations going forward.
“Luka’s that type of player that can carry the load for not just four games but for most of the season,” Kidd said.
“And you saw that here before the break. He’s playing at a very high level. And not just the points, but being able to find guys and set the table for other guys on the floor.
“He’s playing not just at an All-Star, but an MVP level right now and that’s what we need going into the second half.”
This isn’t the first time Kidd has spoken honestly regarding what he wants from Doncic. In the past, Doncic has responded well.
In the 11 games prior to the All-Star Break Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game.
Luka stays winning. https://t.co/7BFCdacMkn
— Game 7 (@game7__) February 23, 2022
Will he be able to continue performing at that level going forward?
Time will tell.
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A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
