Before Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Jason Kidd passionately defended Luka Doncic amid the barrage of criticism he has been receiving.
Doncic was lambasted by the media for his performance in Game 3, which quickly turned to other judgments about his defensive struggles, his weight and his complaints to the officials.
“This is a free country. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Sometimes we can take it a little bit, and to understand if you put yourself in that person's shoes, can you handle the sauce?” Kidd said of the criticism surrounding Luke. Sometimes we want to roast someone, but if you pulled it off, it was you who was roasted, would you like it? Probably not.
“That's just the nature of the business.
“But this young man has done nothing for anyone other than playing basketball. And when asked a question, he never shirks it. You have answered it. And he is 25 years old. I think what disappoints me the most is that we are at the top level where we have one of the best players in the world who plays the game the right way but we want to criticize some of the things he doesn't do well. . But if he does it right, we'll come back and want to talk to him, and if he refuses, I'll pass, what's going on?
“I think sometimes it's not right or necessary to say those things. No one is perfect in this room.”
Luke seemed to take the criticism personally, after leading Game 4 with 29 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals while shooting 46.2% from the field to help Dallas win 122-84.
Kidd wasn't done defending his star.
“A sports game should not be perfect. Just to win,” Kidd said. “And if you look at what's come out here in the last day or so, if you watch the Mavs, Luke has improved his defense. But we're asking him, or some are asking him, to be a full-back.
“Well, he was never on the All-Defensive Team, but he was on five All-Pro teams, first team. So that means he's one of the five best players in the world, and he plays the game the right way where he can find open guys. But when you're on the biggest stage, there has to be – someone has to punch a hole. “
Source link
