MVP Season Looming? Mavs Star Doncic Cracks Down on Conditioning
For the last two years, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic entered the season as the betting odds favorite to win the league’s MVP award. However, due to sluggish starts — especially last season — he’s fallen short of being a finalist.
After facing harsh criticism over his conditioning, it appears Doncic has fully committed himself to being in the best shape possible when the Mavs’ season begins in October.
According to Anze Macek, who is the strength and conditioning coach for the Slovenian national team, Doncic wasted no time getting to work after the Mavs’ season ended in the Western Conference Finals against the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
”Shortly after the end of the season, (Luka) contacted me and said that he wanted to start conditioning immediately. Together with Goran Dragić, they worked for three weeks. The national team action followed,” Macek told SportKlub.
“When he went on vacation, he asked me for a work plan. He remains active. I am in contact with him almost on a daily basis. He keeps his shape. He will upgrade everything in the national team trainings, where he will prepare for maximum efforts.”
Along with many signature playoff performances, Doncic has made All-NBA First Team appearances in three straight seasons. Last season, he averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game while shooting 46 percent from the field, including 35 percent from deep.
Despite starting last season 16-18, the Mavs finished with a 52-30 record and home-court advantage in the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. If Doncic takes his game up another notch, not only will be the leading MVP candidate, but the Mavs will be vaulted into title contention.
We’ll get another look at Doncic before Mavs training camp begins when he suits up for Slovenia in EuroBasket play, which begins on Sept. 1. Doncic and Slovenia will kick things off against Domantas Sabonis and Lithuania.
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