Kim Klement-Pool / Getty Images and Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images
For years, scientists have questioned whether Luka Doncic would still be good at basketball if he were to be moved to central Florida and placed in a bubble. However, there was no ethical way to test this hypothesis, and so the question remained a mystery. Until now.
On Saturday, the Dallas Mavericks star had one of the best performances of the NBA’s newcomer, scoring an absurd 36-point, 14-rebound, 19-assist triple-double in a 136-132 victory over the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Doncic picked up his masterpiece and sealed the win with a playful break between the legs to Maxi Kleber with one minute left in the extra period.
Remember, this is Giannis Antetokounmpo who protects Doncic after the pick and roll, the reigning MVP whose wing span must be measured in longitudinal degrees. It’s almost impossible to stream a pass from him under normal circumstances, let alone someone who’s on the bounce, in the lane and with you off-hand.
“I do not know why I did it,” Doncic told reporters after the game. ‘I just did it. I did not think of that. I saw it, and I have not thought about it before. ‘
It was an incredible moment of improvisation, though many dumb observers (read: Houston Rockets fans on Twitter) were quick to point out that James Harden had been doing versions of the movement for years.
One of Harden’s newer incidents in the pass between the legs came on July 31, during a bubble-ball 153-149 victory against the Mavericks.
It’s objectively cool that there are multiple people on this planet who have the ability to perform such impressive feats of mastery, but the overlapping assists sparked a little debate: Are Harden’s the gold standard, or does Luka have it? better done?
Those in Harden’s camp argue that he, as the originator of the movement, deserves more praise (and perhaps a footnote quote, if anyone else tries the pass). Visual records confirm that he did so until 2017.
Doncic’s boosters meanwhile pointed out that he made the pass with his non-dominant hand and when the stakes were highest – in crunch time of a close game. (The Mavericks led by two points at the time.) That he’s 21 only makes it more impressive: Someone who has to film charming TikToks at a young age would be in his parents’ dining room, and not downplay the NBA’s best defense.
Harden and Doncic have similar playing styles, so it makes sense that they have this particular card up their sleeve. They are both ball-dominant offensive savants who can shoot 3-pointers from the dribble and are constant threats to drive. Because defenses are naturally drawn to them, they often have chances to fire fifty pocket passes to pick and rolls. Do not sweat it if you can not decide whose version (s) you prefer; they will certainly produce more examples for your consideration. Personally, I give the advantage to Harden for quantity, but I would like to see Luka try to repair that discrepancy before his time in the bubble is up.
And on top of that, Harden and Doncic chased even former Portland Trail Blazers wing Rudy Fernández, who only perfected this kind back in 2015, with Real Madrid.
Respect your elders, especially if those elders embrace La Liga legend Rudy Fernández.
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