Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic has been dealing with widespread criticism for years. Despite having a historic playoff run on route to the 2024 NBA Finals, Doncic still receives criticism regarding his impact.
On a recent episode of “The Bill Simmons Podcast“, NBA legend Charles Barkley defended Doncic and lauded him for his playoff performance.
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“You see how quickly they turned on Luka in The Finals? Luka was the only reason they were in The Finals,” Barkley said. “And then after Game 1 and Game 2, they’re like ‘Luka can’t play any defense, he’s the reason the Celtics are up 2-0, 3-0.’ I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, he’s the only reason they’re in The Finals.'”
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Barkley is known for being blunt in his criticism of players so for him to defend Doncic in such a manner, speaks to the magnitude of the discourse surrounding Doncic.
The Mavericks superstar has been questioned about his physical shape and defensive ability for years, but that doesn’t seem to stop him from steamrolling most of his opponents.
James Parker is an NBA writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
