Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic was named today as the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week for his exceptional work last week.
It’s the third time this season and the fourth time in his career that Doncic has received the honor. The third-year veteran also received this award from Nov. 18-24, 2019, and this season from Jan. 4-10 and March 29-April 3.
The only other players to receive the award three times this season are Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.
In the three games the Mavs played last week, Doncic averaged 26 points, nine rebounds, 10 assists and 1.7 steals as Dallas posted a 3-0 record.
Sacramento Kings coach Luke Walton noticed how the Los Angeles Lakers successfully trapped Doncic in the first half of this past Saturday’s game against the Mavs, but the third-year veteran turned the tables in the second half as he repeated ripped the Laker defense to shreds.
“You look into the second half of that game, once he kind of had a rhythm for how that was looking and where their rotations were, he really started picking that thing apart as they built their lead,” Walton said. “For us the trapping part is tough because if you don’t have a ton of size coming over from the weak side – the Lakers had (Anthony Davis) coming over or (Andre) Drummond coming over or (Marc) Gasol coming over after they’re already trapped – it makes it tough to kind of rotate out of that.”
Walton also applauded Doncic for the repeated passes he made to Dwight Powell for dunks and layups, particularly in the second half of Saturday’s game against the Lakers.
“You give a playmaker like Luka somebody that can get out and be that dynamic roller and understands timing and angles like Powell seems to, and they’re pretty good together,” Walton said. “It makes it tough to switch because (Powell) gets out so quickly it’s hard to get underneath that roll.
“And then clearly with Luka’s ability to manipulate pick and rolls. . .it just adds another dimension for them.”
During last Wednesday’s 127-117 win over the Detroit Pistons, Doncic collected 30 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and two steals. The next night, he contributed 30 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals during a 115-110 victory over the Lakers.
And in this past Saturday’s 108-93 triumph over the Lakers, Doncic finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists.
Doncic joins Dirk Nowitzki (16 times), Michael Finley (three) and Jason Kidd (three) as the only member of the Mavs to capture this weekly award at least three times in their career. Nowitzki also holds the Mavs’ franchise record for winning the Player of the Week honors in one year when he won four of them during the 2009-’10 season.
Looking at the big picture: Since the games are coming so fast, coaches are being cognizant of not playing their players too many minutes. That’s true in any season, but it’s especially true now with games jammed together.
“Because of the density of the schedule, decisions are more in your face,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “There’s just certain things that come up.
“Guys get banged up, there’s a high frequency of games. You’re likely looking at having to sit them for one or two (games).”
Kristaps Porzingis (left ankle sprain), Josh Richardson (right hamstring tightness) and JJ Redick (right heel soreness) all sat out Monday’s game at the Sacramento Kings. And as the regular season winds down, there may be situations where the Mavs may sit players so they can get some adequate rest – with the big picture in mind.
“In a regular season type situation I think the frequency of games is like 3.25 a week, or 3.5,” Carlisle said. “Now it’s close to four (a week). It just makes an enormous difference.
“We’ve got to be cognizant of the big picture and the immediate moment. These are situations when building a deep roster is important, because you’re going to have to have guys ready to step up.”
Finney-Smith’s drive game: Forward Dorian Finney-Smith has been playing very well lately.
In the five games prior to Monday’s 113-106 loss to the Sacramento Kings, Finney-Smith was averaging 15.4 points and shooting 60.4 percent from the field and 60 percent from 3-point range.
“He’s making the reads that are there,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “In many of these games we’ve seen teams put a center on him. And when that’s the case he’s spaced out and a lot of times he’s getting open shots because it’s hard for those guys to close to the corners and the wings when they’re helping on the inside.
“And then when they do, it’s important to make them pay a price on closeouts by driving them. The drive game is where Dorian has gotten better and better over the last four years. He’s worked hard on that stuff and its showing.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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