FACT: Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks GRINS!
I know that some or you are disenchanted with the sporting scene in general and especially the professional ranks, as am I; however, I am still a believer in the value of sports activities and the values they can bring— and entertainment is one of them. And I love “boyish” or “girlish” enthusiasm and love for the game!
On Friday, May 7, against Cleveland, LUKA DONCIC scored his 5,000th career NBA point early in the game on a pair of foul shots (free throws) and then added a few more for good measure, as Dallas had no trouble disposing of their opponent (Cavaliers) that night, 110—90! Only three players have reached 5,000 at a younger age— LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony. Do keep in mind, though, that Luka needed only 194 games to reach the goal, while James needed 197, and Dirk Nowitski, Dallas’s all-time “hero,” needed 270 games to do so! Also, Doncic is getting really close to some “Oscar Robertson” records—and the BIG ‘O’ was and is something really special in the minds of most basketball afficionados!
The victory also assured the clinching of the Southwest Division Championship, and I had not really expected that to happen, despite the fact that the Mavs have managed to assemble a pretty good roster of good players and, as far as I can tell, decent folks, who are fun to watch and applaud. (As of the writing of this article, they have managed 9 wins against only 2 losses during the last 11 games!) Securing this title is also the “first tie breaker” in the event “breakers” are needed!
Winning this championship has happened only three times (’86-’87, ’06- ’07, ’09-’10) earlier in the franchise’s history, which is now 41 years old! And Rick Carlisle, in my opinion another good and decent coach/person, became the 15th “winningest” coach in NBA history with 833 “Big V’s,” as Coach Strickland liked to term victories!
And now, let’s go back to an original premise in this article. I was talking to a woman, who shall remain nameless, because she is not a basketball fan but does watch sometimes with her husband (no, not my wife!), and she said to me, “I love to watch one player on the Dallas Mavericks team.” When I inquired as to whom she referred, she immediately grinned and said, “LUKA, you know, DONCIC! He complains a little too much, but he plays like a ‘little boy’ and grins and has a good time and even talks to the fans! I hope he doesn’t get old!”
I hope so, too!
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