Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem slams one aspect of Luka Doncic’s game.
Over the last couple of years, the Los Angeles Lakers were getting nowhere with the dynamic duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Many expected the organization to change things up in the offseason, but that’s when the Dallas Mavericks offered Luka Doncic on a silver platter.
With Doncic on the roster, the Lakers had a 50-win season and clinched the third seed in the West. Despite Doncic only getting better with each game, Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem issued a stern warning to the 26-year-old.
Udonis Haslem blasts Luka Doncic’s defense
When the Mavs traded Doncic to the Lakers, his poor defense was stated as one of the key reasons for the move.
Keeping that theme in mind, Haslem slammed Doncic ahead of his first playoff run with the Purple and Gold via the OGs Show.
“Luka will have to guard somebody. At least try. … You gotta try, bro. I’m looking at the teams ahead of you, there’s nowhere to hide. If you play OKC [Thunder], there’s nowhere to hide.
“You think Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, and [Aaron] Wiggins gonna let him off the hook just because they are not the focal point of the offense? No. They’re gonna put his a__ in action. He’s gonna have to guard.
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“If he goes against f______ Houston [Rockets], you think those guys would let him off the hook, with all of the young thunder cats over there? He’s gonna have to f______ guard.”
Haslem concluded by claiming that the Lakers have no other option than to put Doncic on a good player one way or the other.
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LA Lakers’ defense with Luka Doncic
Many have claimed that Doncic is a defensive liability for the Purple and Gold. But is it really the truth? Let’s find out.
This season, the Lakers had a defensive rating of 115.7 without Doncic. But with Luka on the court, it actually improved to 115.4.
So, that’s one narrative down the drain. On top of that, Doncic’s impact on the offensive end of the floor is more than enough to counter his occasional lack of effort on the other end.
To be precise, the Lakers have a 115.3 ORTG without Doncic. However, in 28 games with the 5x NBA All-Star, the team’s ORTG bumps to 119.8.
This doesn’t mean that the Lakers won’t face some defensive powerhouses in the playoffs, but it exposes the false narrative around Doncic being a poor defender.
