“You’re hoping he messes up,” Luka Doncic compared to Lakers great Magic Johnson by Pistons coach Monty Williams

Monty Williams thinks Luka Doncic and Magic Johnson have similar skills and abilities, making them unique as big guards.

“You’re hoping he messes up,” Luka Doncic compared to Lakers great Magic Johnson by Pistons coach Monty Williams

Detroit Pistons coach Monty Williams thinks Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is similar to Magic Johnson

Luka Doncic is only 25 years old and has a unique blend of size, skill, court vision, and scoring efficiency. Those skills have enabled him to produce astronomical numbers and be considered for MVP. This is why Detroit Pistons head coach Monty Williams feels that the Dallas Mavericks superstar is comparable to Lakers great Magic Johnson.

Monty Williams was speaking at the press conference tonight at Dallas when he was asked how he would tackle Luka Doncic on the court.

You run different defenses at him, you’re just hoping that he messes up. He’s just that good. I just think he's a unique player in that regard. He reminds me of Magic in that way. Those guys are big and have great vision, played at their own pace, understood everybody around them. When you think of big guards who dominated like that, that's probably it.
Monty Williams at the post-game press conference
YouTube video

Williams talked about the experience of playing against Lakers legend Magic Johnson back in the day. According to him, if there is a perfect example of a big guard who has all those abilities, it has to be Johnson and Doncic.

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To dissect the Detroit Pistons head coach’s analogy, both Johnson and Doncic have similar traits. Both were big for a guard and used their height advantage along with unreal court vision and passing accuracy to dictate the offense.

Add to that, they can score from any area of the court and are extremely capable of scoring at will. Moreover, their size and length allow them to dominate the glass and defend the perimeter at the same time.

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks resurgence to finish 5th

Ahead of the game, the Dallas Mavericks declared that Luka Doncic was dealing with an ankle injury and was not going to play. Kyrie Irving was already declared out, thus making both unavailable for the game against the Detroit Pistons. It seems it is probably the best time for them to rest up as the Mavericks have tied up 5th place in the West.

Before the trade deadline in February, many questioned if Doncic and Irving were getting the necessary help. They were languishing in the play in spots. After winning the trade deadline and acclimatizing the new starting core, the Mavericks have recorded a stunning 16-2 run. That stretch has elevated the Mavericks to now eventually finish in a playoff position.

Luka Doncic’s multiple triple-doubles played a huge part in that resurgence. As Monty Williams said, maybe the new pieces they received helped unlock the Magic Johnson part in the young superstar.

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