Luka Doncic’s overall performance for the Los Angeles Lakers has been excellent so far this season. He continues to lead the NBA in scoring, averaging 33.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
However, he still received criticism from some who didn’t like the way he played. His critics accuse him of handling the ball too much, taking too many tough, contested shots and still not producing enough energy on the defensive end. These are the negative comments the Slovenian superstar has heard over and over again from those who don’t like him over the years.
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In an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, former NBA coach Sam Mitchell slammed Doncic for not playing a more complete game offensively. He even said that LeBron James and Austin Reeves have the same weakness.
“Luka Doncic can’t play basketball without the ball. He can’t cut, he can’t move, he can’t screen. He handles the ball so well that when he doesn’t have the ball, he doesn’t do anything to make his teammates better. And the problem with the Lakers is, the same goes for Austin Reeves and LeBron James. They have to have the ball because they don’t want to do the hard things — pass, cut, move, screen.
Mitchell then mentioned another living legend — Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry — as an example of what can be done without basketball.
“The reason we give Steph Curry so much credit is not because he’s a traditionally great point guard. He’s averaged about four and a half to five assists per game in his career. Steph Curry does hard things. He’s always cutting and moving without the ball, and when you’re a good player and you make the hard cuts, people are going to follow you.”
While Los Angeles ranks second in field goal percentage and seventh in offensive efficiency, it ranks just 27th in assists per game, which speaks volumes about how highly Mitchell ranks its three stars. When Doncic operates on the court, the team’s offense often lacks ball and player movement, which enhances the defensive capabilities.
Coupled with the Lakers’ many problems on the defensive end, it is not difficult to understand why they have lost 6 of the past 10 games and are now in danger of falling out of the top six in the Western Conference.
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They currently sit in fourth place with a 19-10 record, but are just half a game ahead of the sixth-place Houston Rockets, who beat them 119-96 on Christmas Day.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Former NBA coach criticizes Luka Doncic’s style of play
