Umm, no. Among my friends, who are NBA and Doncic fans, I'm known to be the most realistic about Luka and his greatest critic, and often receive flack for it. Quote one thing I said that isn't true in this thread.
most of what you've posted is just your personal (biased) opinions. but this line did stand out: [Luka compensates lack of speed with IQ, craftiness and shiftiness, which is similar to Harden's game.] harden's entire halfcourt game is predicated on him having one of the quickest first steps in the league, which allows him to get past anybody he wants to and forces every defender to give him extra space out of the triple threat. the lack of an elite first step is what will prevent doncic from ever being anything close to harden offensively
Speed and quickness are two different things. As for Harden comparison: Luka has been checked by the likes of Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler. He fared well against all of them after encountering them for the first time with bad conditioning on top. He is having a historic rookie season. You call me biased, but I'm not. I think you are the one who thinks very little of Doncic.
again, you posted: [Luka compensates lack of speed with IQ, craftiness and shiftiness, which is similar to Harden's game.] this is NOT similar to harden's game. i already told you that "harden's entire halfcourt game is predicated on him having one of the quickest first steps in the league" as far as your claim that i think little of doncic, i refer you to post #33: "doncic also has the size and clutch game that trae young lacks. and i look forward to watching them both develop" as far as your slovenian-only fan (SOF) shtick, it's obvious bro. starting with your avatar. i can picture your nesterovic avatar on the minny boards too
When I said that Young is a better passer than Doncic and that it is not even close; I didn't mean any disrespect towards Doncic playmaking. It's just that Young has a legitimate shot at GOAT passer status: https://www.sbnation.com/2019/3/27/18283874/trae-young-highlights-passing-atlanta-hawks
The evidence just keeps piling on: https://nbamath.com/la-pausa-how-trae-young-uses-time-to-manipulate-defenses/
I love watching this guy play...so skilled, so crafty...he’s a walking bucket I’m dying to see him on a playoff caliber team...I want to see him in a playoff setting because that’s when u find out the most about a player ATL is so garbage...free Trae Young
He has not been in the league for a minute...Asking for trades/setting ultimatums when you have not yet paid your dues is a bad look.
It is, which is why we’re gonna have to see him waste away for 7 years in Atlanta before he can finally leave and get to play in some meaningful games.
Zach Lowe said in his recent podcast that Atlanta is built to boost Young's stats. Also he's been routinely playing garbage minutes in fourth with his team down 20+ points, which to me is biggest proof of statpadding. I don't want to take away anything from Young; he's a terrific shooter and passer. His team's record speaks for himself though. He doesn't have a great, or even good team. But to have less wins than Cavaliers, Wizards and fricking New York Knicks? They share the same number of wins than Golden State, and they play in a much weaker conference. Furthermore, Young is small and doesn't see over the defense, or can't make a great pass out of a double consistently.
The Hawks are a collection of rookies and unwanted vets who can't shoot or finish to save themselves. If that team has been built to "boost" Young's stats, then it has been done in the sneakiest way possible. More seriously, Young's stats, in terms of efficiency and assists, is very likely depressed by having to carry the most inexperienced and talent poor roster in the NBA. He will likely explode like Curry in 2014 once his team get better. Young is the most double-teamed player in the league out of pick situations and has evolve his game to specifically beat and exploit this defensive scheme, hence his gaudy stats.
His gaudy stats also come from: Down 23 after 3 quarters against Pistons, Young plays 5 minutes in fourth - 25 pts loss Down 19 after 3 quarters against Lakers, Young plays 9 minutes in fourth- 21 pts loss Down 25 after 3 quarters against Knicks, Young plays whole 4thQ and has 15/3 in that span - 23 pts loss If you are the only ballhandler in starting lineup, surrounded by 3pt shooters (Collins, Huerter) and defensive players who can somewhat shoot (Reddish, Hunter), having a green light to shoot as much as you want and even statpad in fourth quarters of blowouts, then yes, that's how you inflate your stats. Their defense is super bad, so you'd think at least offense would be passable. Nope, they have 29th offensive rating, leading GSW by 0.4 points in that category. If you can't have more wins than a rookie guard who can't shoot and is surrounded by 5000 power forwards, then something's seriously wrong. Of course, most Hawks' fans and quite few other people still think Doncic for Young/Reddish was a win-win trade.
You evidently don't watch the Hawks. Outside of Young, the Hawks shoot 30.8% from three. Reddish and Hunter are rookies playing heavy units and the other players are pure trash (except Len who is serviceable) just as you argument that Youngs stats come fom garbag minutes. The Hawks offensive rating craters all the way from 112 to a monumentally bad 94.5 when Young sits.
