The Dallas Mavericks lost a tough one to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night as they crumbled toward the end of the game. Leading by as many as 17 points in the second half and by 11 heading into the fourth quarter, the Mavericks were unable to hold on for the win, falling 102-99.
The Mavericks go as Luka Doncic does, and he ran out of gas toward the end of the game. Doncic scored 28 points in the game to go along with nine assists and five rebounds with only one turnover. But, he missed all three of his shot attempts in the fourth quarter, scoring only one point as he split a pair of free throws.
During the TNT telecast, analyst Reggie Miller made numerous mentions of Doncic’s physique, criticizing him for the plodding nature he was getting up and down the court. He said that he needs to trim down, and it is something that Doncic himself acknowledged he needs to do after the game.
“People are going to talk about it, yes or no,” said Doncic. “I know I’ve got to do better.”
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According to ESPN, sources reported that Doncic reported to training camp weighing over 260 pounds. He is listed at 230 pounds, so if true, he is carrying around a lot more weight than he normally would during the season.
One of the issues for Doncic when it comes to his conditioning is that he is has not been as healthy as he wants to be. An ankle and knee injury kept him off the court for three games and has been a big reason for the Mavericks spiraling, as they have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games as a result of defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 104-96 on Wednesday.
“It’s still painful, but I try to play and try to practice,” Doncic said of the ankle. “But it’s still painful.”
While it is admirable that Doncic gets out there and plays, as the Dallas Mavericks are 0-4 without him in the lineup, he needs to get himself right. He will not help the team win as often as they want to if he is not healthy or in shape.
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“I had a long summer,” said Doncic. “I had the Olympics, took three weeks off, and I relaxed a little bit. Maybe too much. I’ve just got to get back on track.”
Hopefully, that occurs sooner than later. Dallas needs Luka Doncic to be playing at a high level if they are going to be competitive in the Western Conference.
