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FILE – Luka Doncic # 77 of the Dallas Mavericks drives around LeBron James # 23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center on December 1, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Katharine Lotze / Getty Images / AFP
Talented 21-year-old Slovenian star Luka Doncic drives the Dallas Mavericks against LeBron James and defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in Friday’s showdown of five NBA holiday competitions.
Both players were contenders for the NBA Most Valuable Player award last season and are expected to be hunting again in the 2020-21 season.
“It’s exciting,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. “It’s a great game to play against the champions and when Luka and LBJ team up, it’s always something special.”
James, who turns 36 on Wednesday, has been the face of the NBA for more than a decade, reaching 10 NBA Finals, winning four titles and taking home four MVP awards of the season.
But Doncic has received rave reviews since he was chosen as the third overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
He was the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2019 and became a versatile playmaker who averaged 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists last season, a sign that he could be the face of the NBA within a decade.
“It’s a long way to go to be one of the faces of the league,” Doncic said.
“But we are playing against the champions. It’s going to be something special. I always wanted to play on Christmas Day. “
Friday’s lineup also includes sophomore star Zion Williamson and New Orleans in Miami, Golden State in Milwaukee, Brooklyn in Boston and the Los Angeles Clippers in Denver.
The NBA announced Thursday that there were two positive COVID-19s out of 558 players tested since Dec. 16.
The move came a day after the Houston Rockets’ coronavirus problems helped postpone their first game against Oklahoma City.
In the Lakers’ first game Tuesday, James had 20 points and eight rebounds, the team’s best, while Anthony Davis scored 35 points in a 114-113 loss to the Clippers.
Doncic scored 32 points Wednesday, but the Mavs fell 106-102 at Phoenix, the European star going 0-for-6 from 3-point range and dismissing fears of sprained ankle as he kicked himself for a poor pick of shots, losing his first six of the game. .
“That was my fault,” he said. “I have to stop making these bad shots. It’s not good for me. It’s not good for the team. I have to change it. “
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t overly concerned.
“He’s still putting his playing legs under him,” Carlisle said. “That will get there. He understands the game as well as any 21-year-old he’s been with. He will make the necessary adjustments. “
Carlisle’s plans for Christmas Eve included examining the Lakers and determining what chances the Mavs should have on their trip to Los Angeles for their first Christmas contest since 2011.
“We will have to do a study on the Lakers, find out what the best matchups and coverage will be for us on defense,” he said.
“Those are the world champions. Obviously we are going to have to play a high-level game. “
LeBron could pass Kobe
James ranks third on the league’s Christmas run scorers list with 361 points, needing just 17 to overtake Oscar Robertson for second on the list and just 35 to overtake the late Kobe Bryant for the lead of all. the teams.
James has nine wins in 14 holiday appearances, one less than the all-time win mark set by his former Miami teammate Dwyane Wade, who was 10-3 in holiday contests.
It is the twenty-second consecutive year the Lakers will play this Christmas.
Nine NBA All-Stars will take the court on Friday, and that doesn’t include Williamson or Brooklyn stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
New Orleans had 24 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists from Brandon Ingram in an inaugural win over Toronto, but the Pelicans face the reigning Eastern Conference championship team in Miami, which has a 10-2 holiday record, the best in the NBA and seven wins in a row over the holidays.
Two-time reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee faces two-time MVP Stephen Curry and the Warriors. The Bucks host a Christmas game for the first time since 1968.
Durant, back after an 18-month hiatus from an Achilles tendon injury, and Irving will lead the Nets against Boston.
The Clippers, driven by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, face a Denver team that kicked them out of the playoffs last season.
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