Off the top of his head, Carlisle can tell you how many followers Doncic has on Instagram. It’s three million and counting. And it’s a concern for Carlisle. “Social media has created really an undue pressure on guys like Luka to generate highlights,” Carlisle said. “[Fans] want to be seeing stuff every day on their phones.”
Tag: Rick Carlisle
Doncic delivers those highlights on a …
Doncic delivers those highlights on a regular basis — 40-foot fastballs diagonally across the court right into the numbers of an open shooter in the corner; perfectly timed lobs just over the hands of helpless defenders; no-look dimes after dribbling behind his back in traffic. And launching step-back jumpers, often from far beyond the 3-point arc — smiling and shrugging, in this case, at a trash-talking courtside fan in Boston after swishing a couple. “He’s one of those rare players that has not only an amazing imagination for the game but the skill and the ability and the wherewithal to pull it off,” Carlisle said.
“Look,” Carlisle said, “when we won the …
“Look,” Carlisle said, “when we won the championship, we didn’t call anything.” That’s because Carlisle trusted Kidd, a basketball savant in his 16th NBA season at the time, to orchestrate the offense. Carlisle sees similar savvy in Doncic, who began playing professionally for Real Madrid at the ripe age of 15. “I always ask him, ‘What do you want to run?’” Doncic said of his coach. “During the game, he lets me call the plays. It’s good. It lets the game go and play more with pace. I think it’s the best basketball to play.”
Dwain Price: I asked Rick Carlisle …
Dwain Price: I asked Rick Carlisle today if Luka Doncic should be mentioned in this year’s NBA MVP conversation. His answer: “I don’t get into awards stuff. But yes.” @Dallas Mavericks @NBA #Mavs
According to Carlisle, Mavericks GM …
According to Carlisle, Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson envisioned as much well before Dallas acquired Doncic in a 2018 NBA draft-night trade that sent Trae Young to Atlanta. “Donnie told me flat out he was going to be the best in that draft, and it wasn’t close,” Carlisle said. “That’s how he felt about it. We’re thrilled that we’ve had the chance to get him to Dallas and work with him. He’s worked hard. Each week he’s gotten better and better and better and going forward, I’m watching his workload closely, his minutes, those kinds of things. It’s important that we look out for him, too.”
