Luka’s leadership differs from Dirk’s, but they both have one thing in common

JJ Barea sees a big difference between Luka Doncic at the age of 21 and Dirk Nowitzki when he was a spirited young star who was chasing a championship.

With Dirk it was almost impossible to beat him in a 3-point game, Barea said on Sunday. I got a chance with Luka.

Beyond that, and the fact that they occupy different positions, Barea and the rest of the Mavericks can see many similarities between the biggest player in franchise history and the youngster now accused of being the next big Maverick.

The first 10 days in Orlando, both coach Rick Carlisle and veteran Barea have shown that Doncic will not be intimidated in the least by the playoffs. The 6-7 point guard, who has become the NBA’s all-time best player this season as you pass his 14 triple doubles, is ready for the test.

I can definitely feel he sensed that that was getting closer, Carlisle said of the playoffs that will start in mid-August after an eight-game finish in the regular season. I still see him raise the level of his game in all areas and refine his game in all areas and go very fast.

When the best players go fast (in practice), the whole team goes fast. That is one of the reasons we have had great practices here from the beginning until now.

Doncic, in just his second NBA season after winning rookie of the year in 2018-19, has averaged 28.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists this season. He has formed a nice chemistry with Kristaps Porzingis and they are ready to be a tandem for many years to take into account.

That doesn’t mean they can’t do damage this year if the NBA starts again on July 31. In Doncic, the Mavericks clearly have their leader in more ways than just scoring, rebounds and assists.

Knowing something about building champion teams since working with Nowitzki in the 2011 title run, Barea said he sees the short and long-term future for this team’s future.

We have a great group of guys, great team chemistry, Barea said. And then our best player, Luka. The way he plays now, if we have him on our team, would have a chance. KP is a different type of talent that no one has. And I think we have a great team around them.

So yes, we definitely have a chance. And in practice we look great. Luka looks better than ever. We certainly have a chance.

Because Doncic takes the practice seriously, he sees a lot of Dirk in the young point guard.

What I see is the competitiveness in both, Barea said. In everything they do. Dirk liked to compete in practice. Luka loves to win everything in practice. The talent level. They want to be the best player on the floor every day, every time. Those things are similar to when Dirk was young and in his prime.

Carlisle agreed that while Nowitzki and Doncic are vastly different players, they have the same basketball DNA. There is not much either of them wouldn’t do to win.

An intense desire to win, an intense desire to be a great teammate and categorically a leader, but in his own way, Carlisle said. Dirk was more of a calm leader.

Luka comes from a vocal leader other than Dirk was. And it is not surprisingly simply based on the fact that the positions are so different. If you are the point guard you have the ball and everything runs through you. So as we did here in the training sessions, Lukas did a great job of leading the entire team, whatever team hesitates on any given day.

Carlisle said the Mavericks have switched teams for scrimmages in the last few workouts. It is no longer just the first team against the second team, but stretching the mating of other players with some of the starter combinations that can happen very well on the pitch during matches.

Since the Mavericks missed several protagonists, Carlisle said they should be ready to be creative when it comes to pairing lineups.

Having a team of many multi-position players helps.

That’s the game now, Barea said. You must have a high basketball IQ, know how to set the floor and drive. There are no 1, 2, 3 (positions) anymore. Everybodys will be scattered, it will be pick and roll, drive and kick and hit three. It’s going to be random basketball, and the team that does best gets a big chance.

With Doncic in the lead, the Mavericks certainly fall into that category.

Twitter: @ESefko