**Official Luka Doncic Thread**

[KhalDrogo]

I think we’re going to like this team.

[RogerGodahell]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

I think we’re going to like this team.

They looked very good when the starters were playing. It's so nice to see them have a big man (plural) who can actually score without being a spot up 3 or a lob. They've added another dimension to their offense with those 2 guys Wood and McGee. As well as Bolstered their defense. The combination of Wood and McGee or Kleber on the floor together is nice.

They had the 7th best defense last year i think they'll be even better this year. I think their offense will be better as well. They have more threats and less limitations. Luka should have less pressure on him now from opposing defenses with the current roster. Powell was never a threat at the top of the key and Kleber doesn't dribble the ball very often either but at least he can shoot and play defense. Wood and McGee are much more mobile with the ball. Both of them can attack the rim + catch lobs, and Wood can shoot the 3 and create his own shot. McGee can create looks for himself as well but more of an inside threat. Opposing teams will have to give up some of that double, triple coverage, and traps we've seen on Doncic unless they want to get burned. Not to mention both of those guys can also rebound. Should be a fun season.


Saving for future reference

[UsernameHere]

Luka Obsidian Family Pic. Looking to secure some more True Obsidian's, And/Or a Preview Blue /99 PSA 10. I want a mini Blue/Pink/Purple PSA 10 rainbow.

[IceTrae]

Originally Posted by The_Reverend

Most of us Lready know this, but there will come a time when no PSA 10 rookies will be under $500. He is simply unreal and he is just a kid by age standard. When he develops his “man” body look out!!

Can those sells be real?
Elite PSA 10 $500
Essentials PSA 10 $500 ($499)

Holy bad take Batman

[thor_rider08]

THICCBOI Lulu

[MrAnonymous]

Beautiful stuff - those Obsidians are dope

[TSonn]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

I think we’re going to like this team.

I'm pretty excited to see Luka+McGee/Wood. It's difficult to see a scenario where Luka/Wood PnRs aren't unstoppable.

The Brunson loss could be significant but he was a liability in the playoffs each year except vs Utah so his leap may have been an aberration. While Luka was out last year, Brunson kept the Mavs at .500 - which was just enough to keep them afloat but maybe not a huge difference-maker. IMO Dinwiddie would've also kept them afloat if he were on the team when Luka was out.

I think Hardy could be an even better version of Brunson with his bench scoring and better size.

[UsernameHere]

Originally Posted by thor_rider08

THICCBOI Lulu

Bro those are sick! Why no grade them? That yellow boi especially I dont even think Ive seen one before? Just a yellow preview.

Thats the one that things kinda hard about the True Obsidians. They sell so infrequently that comps dont mean a lot and prices are all over the place. An Orange /25 PSA 10 just sold for $3300, a week before a base PSA 10 sold for $3700. And last October 2 sold, 1 for $4700 and 1 for $10k.

A BGS 9.5 Green /15 went for $3100, and I remember during the crazy times a base 10 hitting over 10k.

So it's kind of scary to auction them off lol.

[cash4cards]

Opening night for the Mavs. I am ready to see what the new team looks like and will be up late watching this one. Also bumping because Luka should be on the front page.

[slum22]

Originally Posted by RogerGodahell

They have their money tied up in too many mediocre players and not enough top end talent. Their salary cap is too spread out among guys who don't play and effect the game sitting on the bench.

The teams going all in are taking the opposite approach. A lot of top end talent with the money concentrated in them and running a thin bench of min contracts.

I think there is a balance somewhere there in between but they need to shed some salary. Bertans and Powell they've gotta go. That's their other $30 million player right there. Or another superstar if they can get rid of THJ contract as well. Bullock is a better player at half the price of him.

I was talking about this topic with my brother this morning. The Mavericks have such a brutal roster considering they are capped out. Their problem is they tried to swing for another star, but they missed on that swing with Porzingis. Now they have a bunch of low ceiling players on $10-15 million dollar salaries. They have spent way too much to keep average players.

[TSonn]

Originally Posted by slum22

I was talking about this topic with my brother this morning. The Mavericks have such a brutal roster considering they are capped out. Their problem is they tried to swing for another star, but they missed on that swing with Porzingis. Now they have a bunch of low ceiling players on $10-15 million dollar salaries. They have spent way too much to keep average players.

With a guy like Luka, Cuban needs to build guys to fit with Luka's strengths and sometimes that looks like a bunch of average guys on the roster. But those average guys might be the perfect fit for Luka. I wish the Mavs had a better #2 playmaker but hopefully Spencer can have a career year or Jaden can surprise us.

Funny to see Brunson struggling tonight.

[RogerGodahell]

Originally Posted by slum22

I was talking about this topic with my brother this morning. The Mavericks have such a brutal roster considering they are capped out. Their problem is they tried to swing for another star, but they missed on that swing with Porzingis. Now they have a bunch of low ceiling players on $10-15 million dollar salaries. They have spent way too much to keep average players.

Hopefully it will get sorted out over the next year or so. I'm still optimistic about the upcoming season even without another star player. I think Wood and McGee are huge upgrades at center position over Powell and Kleber. I'm interested to see how good they play once they get more accustomed to the team. Probably gonna take at least a month or so i would think to really get in the flow. Kinda like how Bullock started last season slow and then picked it up.

[Asian62150]

Luka with a great first half and crickets in here???

He was even 7/7 from the line!

If he shoots over 80% FTs he’s leading the league in scoring.

[JohnnyHatesJazz]

That's criminal forgetting to set a screen for luka.

Crim-i-nal.

[Donkaylove]

Originally Posted by TSonn

With a guy like Luka, Cuban needs to build guys to fit with Luka's strengths and sometimes that looks like a bunch of average guys on the roster. But those average guys might be the perfect fit for Luka. I wish the Mavs had a better #2 playmaker but hopefully Spencer can have a career year or Jaden can surprise us.

Funny to see Brunson struggling tonight.

haha--keep wishing. no playoffs for dallas, very weak, no cohesiveness, easy defend, no shooting, and just a terrible roster build around an mvp-awful!! This was all evident in just the first game. The only surprise was thar wood surpassed expectation.

[KhalDrogo]

Glad I didn’t stay up. The late west coast starts are just terrible.

Regular season will be more irrelevant than ever this year in the west. Just stay healthy, get in the top 6, and don’t get matched with GS early.

[TSonn]

Rough second half last night but they'll learn. It's not like the Suns were all of a sudden going to be a terrible team. Pretty interesting that the way the Suns beat the Mavs was to keep CP3 on the bench the nearly the entire 4th quarter.

Best stat of the night: Luka going 13/13 from the free throw line including a few clutch ones late.

Worst stats of the night: Dumb tech from Luka at a really bad time; Christian Wood shooting 3/10 from the free throw line.

Overall observation: Wood was a heck of a pick-up. Gives the Mavs a completely new dimension on offense.

[RogerGodahell]

That game was a tale of two halves. First half amazing, swarming defense, could score whenever they wanted. Second half they let up on defense let the Suns back in the game squandered a 22 pt lead and lost the game. Wood and Luka were both very good besides Wood's terrible night at the FT line. Suns are still a very good team. It's gonna take a little while for this team to sort itself out become a cohesive unit.

[mfw13]

Originally Posted by Donkaylove

haha--keep wishing. no playoffs for dallas, very weak, no cohesiveness, easy defend, no shooting, and just a terrible roster build around an mvp-awful!! This was all evident in just the first game. The only surprise was thar wood surpassed expectation.

I had them 7th in the West and having to get through the play-in to make the playoffs. Their offense is just too predictable and stagnant.

Luka brings up the ball....Luka shoots or dishes to one of the four guys standing around the perimeter, who then clunks a three....

No motion or movement at all.....they're really going to miss having a true PG like Brunson...

[rustywest]

Originally Posted by KhalDrogo

Glad I didn’t stay up. The late west coast starts are just terrible.

Regular season will be more irrelevant than ever this year in the west. Just stay healthy, get in the top 6, and don’t get matched with GS early.

The regular season is more important than ever? The West is loaded with above .500 teams, absolutely loaded. Leonard and Murray are heavy hitters. You gotta start racking up wins before sh*t happens

I don't think Dallas will just roll into the top 6 like last year

[TSonn]

Originally Posted by mfw13

I had them 7th in the West and having to get through the play-in to make the playoffs. Their offense is just too predictable and stagnant.

Luka brings up the ball....Luka shoots or dishes to one of the four guys standing around the perimeter, who then clunks a three....

No motion or movement at all.....they're really going to miss having a true PG like Brunson...

They ran the offense through Wood in the post for a good chunk in the 2nd half. That seemed like a nice variable to their offense that they didn't have last year and something that they'll probably mix in more and more as the season progresses.

I don't think they'll miss Brunson much. Dinwiddie did fine in the Brunson role last night and Hardy will start getting minutes as the season goes on.

Originally Posted by RogerGodahell

That game was a tale of two halves. First half amazing, swarming defense, could score whenever they wanted. Second half they let up on defense let the Suns back in the game squandered a 22 pt lead and lost the game. Wood and Luka were both very good besides Wood's terrible night at the FT line. Suns are still a very good team. It's gonna take a little while for this team to sort itself out become a cohesive unit.

Anyone know why McGee only played 14 minutes? Ayton destroyed the Mavs in the 2nd half and it seemed like McGee would've been a good option to take away the lobs and slow him down a bit.

[KhalDrogo]

Originally Posted by rustywest

The regular season is more important than ever? The West is loaded with above .500 teams, absolutely loaded. Leonard and Murray are heavy hitters. You gotta start racking up wins before sh*t happens

I don't think Dallas will just roll into the top 6 like last year

I imagine a top 6ish (no order) of GS, LAC, DEN, DAL, NO, PHO, and MEM. Who knows how the season shakes out, but there’s not all that much of a difference between those teams. That’s why you just need to avoid the play in. Your first round matchup is projected to suck regardless.

[RogerGodahell]

Originally Posted by TSonn

Anyone know why McGee only played 14 minutes? Ayton destroyed the Mavs in the 2nd half and it seemed like McGee would've been a good option to take away the lobs and slow him down a bit.

Not sure. Looks like it's going to take some tinkering to find the right mix of players for each unit and their typical pattern of when they play. Yeah they were lobbing it in to Ayton over Kleber's head a lot in the second half. I'm not sure why they didn't put McGee back in the game to stop it

They'll be fine though. They destroyed PHO in the first half at PHO. We saw what the team is capable of in the first 24 mins. I wouldn't look too deep into the second half of that one game just yet.

I don't remember how much Green played in the second half either but he was disrupting the Suns on defense in the first half. Looks like he only played 18 total mins. If he could ever get to the point where he averaged 10 points a game it would be nice. Good defensive player doesn't give them much on offense.

[RogerGodahell]

Nice start 16 pts halfway through the 1st.

[sc29650]

However thinks this dude isn't the best player in the league ain't watchin