The following list seems to apply to both players: 1. High usage ball hogging guard 2. Lazy/bad on defense 3. Doesn't keep in shape Doncic has often been compared to GOATs like Lebron James. The much better comparison is James Harden. When Doncic's career is over, he will be a HOF for sure just like Harden is now. But unless Doncic changes, he will be no better (and perhaps even worse) than Harden.
I definitely noticed some similarities too but there are some differences - he's established himself at a younger age, his leadership/body language seem better, his foul drawing skills don't seem to be as good, etc. It'll be interesting how good he is at adapting too. Harden I think did a pretty good job adapting to foul call changes and stuff like that.
There's some differences: 1. Doncic is a better teammate/leader 2. Doncic is more controlling (pushed out Carlisle, brought in Kidd) 3. Doncic is a gamer instead of hardcore partyer 4. Doncic is just more talented and a better player 5. Doncic doesnt rely on refs 6. Doncic is 6'8 Harden is 6'4 Doncic is only 23 Harden was 27 when he won his MVP.
He is so terrible the Mavs are wanting to get rid of him for pennies on the dollar. What are you waiting on Stone/Tillman?!!!?
The way they play is amazing and disgusting at the same time. Amazing because of how far they can take a team as the offensive conductor and first chair on most of the instruments. Disgusting because it's not basketball and will never, ever lead to a championship.
Did Larry Bird keep in shape? I feel like the only thing he lifted was Budweisers. Maybe he drank Bud Light during the season, as a health drink.
There's some exaggerations here. Doncic is 6'7 and Harden is 6'5 as measured by the NBA. But, I agree with the general sentiment. Honestly, I think they're nearly identical with the exception of 3 key things that look better for Luka's career: Luka is bigger. The mavs can more easily hide him on bigs. It just leaves more options for finding the weak scorer to put him on. As we've seen he actually has MORE trouble when teams go smaller. Luka started his superstar trajectory earlier so presumably has more time to figure it out. Harden didn't start until after he got to the rockets. Luka is young enough that he may get it that the problem isn't all the team. He has to improve as well. Primarily, in being a great threat when he doesn't have the ball in his hands. We know more than any other fan base the 1 guy iso with 4 guys standing at the 3 point line doesn't work forever. He hasn't been corrupted by analytics. Analytics, helped Harden in a lot of great ways but he eventually stopped working on his mid range game and that killed us in the playoffs. Luka plays more free and is more likely to exploit it when teams play a more gimmick style defense against him. Also, I'm not seeing Luka as a leader, At least not yet. I think the Mavs need to find their Draymond Green that can be the leader of the team and just let Luka focus on dominating like Steph. He does seem like a great teammate but those are two totally different things.
Exactly!! And neither Bird nor Magic ever played a lick of D. I was alive and saw them play. why do you think scoring was so high? People hated the Pistons because they were the first team in the 1980’s to actually play any type of defense. Today that would be tame.
um . . . not exactly. Bird made 2nd team All-Defensive Team three times https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_All-Defensive_Team
You do realize that All NBA teams are completed media driven narratives? How the heck else do you explain Marc Gasol winning DPOY and LeBron and Kobe making All D teams late in their careers when they were sivs on D? Also, it’s all relative. Bird could have been a good defensive player at a time when everyone sucked at D. Doesn’t mean he was actually good, especially compared to a Rodman or Dumars.
Analytics didnt ruin Harden, Harden ruined Harden. How many mid range shots do GSW and Celtics take? These two teams are headed by Analytics departments but nobody says Steph Curry got ruined by analytics. Morey sctually came from Boston analytics department prior to getting hired by Les Alexander. Difference is Steph works on his game in the summer while Harden parties with Dababy in the summer.
There’s more to defense than athleticism and or individual man D. Did you only watch Bird in his later years? He was highly mobile and had a great motor and instincts as a younger player. Gasol was a great defensive player too.
