Luka Doncic and the Timberwolves go way back. His bouts with the Minnesota go so deep that you could probably find him howling at midnight. Under more recent circumstances, he and the Lakers are in the middle of a playoff series with them. Even this is familiar territory for Doncic. The WCF between the Mavericks and the Wolves last season was box office. And Doncic was the main character of it all. So to succeed, he knows he needs to use his knowledge of the Minnesota outfit to the best of his ability.
Who can forget the game-winning three in Game 2? That probably called for Mike Breen’s most iconic double-bang for as far as anyone’s memory goes. That game winner just put the cap on his 32/10/13 triple-double, which played a part in the overall series that Dallas ended up winning. Doncic was the CF MVP too. And now, he’s looking to emulate the same thing with his new squad. His game plan? Leading by example with LeBron James side by side.
“I think it’s that for me and LeBron, the leadership, especially in the playoffs—and it’s all about the matchups. I know this team. They obviously made that trade, but they’re a tough team to beat. Very dangerous team. Obviously, Ant is there, but they have so many pieces that they play great together. So it’s going to be a very tough series,” said Doncic to ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
LeBron, as the oldest, and Doncic, as the most experienced, against the Wolves, is what they have to do to combine. But this makes you wonder: do the Lakers not have the same experience against this Timberwolves squad? They do, just not as much as Luka Doncic did last season. And he knows exactly how to exploit their defense. In the 2023-24 season, the Mavs and Wolves met 4 times, while the Lakers and the Land of 10,000 Lakes met only once—a 118–111 defeat on Dec 21, 2023.
But a generational talent tends to outshine his team on multiple occasions. The history of Doncic and Minnesota mainly highlights his achievements rather than the Mavs succeeding against Anthony Edwards and Co. The 23-24 regular season saw the Mavs carry a 1-3 record against their CF opponents, which is underwhelming to say the least. But any guesses as to who excelled in that sole victory?
The Don himself, of course. His 44-point, 9-rebound outing in the Dec 28 game showcased his ability to exploit the Minnesota Timberwolves’ defense. Although there’s one thing El Matador knows as much as his favorite opponents. It does seem like a century ago, but Redick was teammates with him at D-Town for a few months. And when asked about the difference between the coach and the player, Doncic’s revelation on Redick‘s character arc is likely to make most anime fans around the world punch the air.
Luka Doncic describes the difference between Coach Redick and Player Redick
It’s often the silent ones who speak the loudest. And anyone who might have a memory of JJ as a player would know that it was always his MO. Always the silent assassin on the court, never one to raise his voice at anything. It just wasn’t him. But signing for the Lakers would’ve sent the mentality of the Clippers fanbase into disarray.
And when it comes to the difference between the Two Shades of JJ Redick, Doncic seems to think he can shift character, which speaks the loudest. “He was quiet as a player, a little bit. But as a coach, he can speak up. But he’s been nothing but great. He loved basketball—he showed it on the court every day. He’s watching a film all the time.” This tells you just how much faith Doncic has in Redick.
He further continues, “He’s trying to correct every detail. And that’s really important to have as a coach. As a former colleague going from the booth to now seeing him do this… It’s fun to see him kind of make this transition,” said Luka to Malika. We saw his passion for the game on display in game 2. The Showtime might’ve clocked in an important victory, but for Redick, it certainly wasn’t a comfortable one.
With the Lakers’ lead reduced to 11 points, Redick stepped up. After asking for a timeout, Redick entered the court, addressing Lakers players and dropping numerous f-bombs. The players felt every word. And they got it over the line. Not just for their passionate fanbase, but for JJ Redick. This sets up the third game perfectly.
With his Mavericks chapter behind him, Luka Doncic is looking to use his experience against the T-Wolves and lead by example with the King. He knows how much JJ wants it. Maybe if their coach were still the Don’s teammate, he’d never know how much. But Coach Redick? Different gravy. Ready to deliver greatness.
The post Luka Doncic Confirms Playoff Plans With LeBron James as JJ Redick’s Major Behavior Change Comes to Light appeared first on EssentiallySports.
