| |
|
NBA -- Brunson a huge key for Mavs' life without Luka
By Japheth Bandi PhilBoxing.com Wed, 18 Dec 2019

MILWAUKEE - No thanks to a sprained ankle, rising star Luka Doncic, last season's runaway Rookie of the Year winner, will be sidelined for at least two weeks.
For the Dallas Mavericks, life without their budding All-Star and offensive leader began with a road trip yesterday here in Milwaukee where they visited the Eastern Conference-leading Bucks at a full-house Fiserv Forum.
As it turned out, the Mavs not only acquitted themselves well, they actually penciled a victory that snapped the Bucks' season-high 18-game winning streak.
Not only did Dallas somehow weather this fleeting adversity, they also withstood the one-man rampage of reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who lit the arena with 48 points and 14 rebounds.
Dallas' recipe for success was simple. They shot the ball at a high rate (41 of 88 from the field and 16 of 41 from long distance ) and they moved the ball around exceptionally well, producing 27 assists.
"We just felt that if we come out and really concentrated on ourselves, with a pretty simple game plan, we give ourselves a chance," Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters at his post-game press conference outside the visitors' locker following the 48-minute scrap.
Is this sustainable though given the fact that Doncic is leaving a void that is difficult to fill --- 29.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.9 rebounds per?
Kristaps Porzingis would have to step up, a task he proved capable of doing by dropping 26 points and 12 boards. The rest of the Mavericks would have to step up as well.
But an important key of plugging in the leaks Doncic' absence will cause is Jalen Brunson.
The second-year guard will not be a triple-double machine like Doncic but he can be a good game manager, something he did against Milwaukee as the Villanova alum finished with an efficient 13 points and 11 assists.
Though ranked third in the Western Conference with a 20-8 record, the Mavericks a long, difficult path ahead without Doncic. But Brunson should help smooth some of the bumps.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Japheth Bandi.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod? By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA , Sat, 12 Jul 2025JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis) By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026 , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8 , Fri, 11 Jul 2025Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25 , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle , Thu, 10 Jul 2025Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy , Thu, 10 Jul 20254 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas , Thu, 10 Jul 2025SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON , Thu, 10 Jul 2025FIGHT EMPIRE! TUAZON, ADOR, DE BARBO, JOMAR, AND MORE ARE READY FOR ACTION IN BRICO SANTIG'S EXCITING SHOW JULY 12 IN THAILAND By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025Shakur Stevenson and David Morrell Face "Crossroad Fights" This Saturday in Queens By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025Christy Martin’s “Mayhem in Music City 2” to Feature Undefeated Vic Hernandez Facing Jayvon Garnett for NABA & Jr. NABF Featherweight Championships , Wed, 09 Jul 2025James Perkins & Anthony Andreozzi Headlines “Oceanside Prize Fights” , Wed, 09 Jul 2025GORST PURSUES GOLDEN GLORY IN JEDDAH, DEFENDING WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN SAUDI ARABIA, 21–26 JULY , Wed, 09 Jul 2025Hovhannisyan and Barrientes Set for High-Stakes Showdowns July 18 on DAZN , Tue, 08 Jul 2025UNBEATEN PROSPECT KENNETH LLOVER TO FACE FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION LUIS CONCEPCION IN MANILA , Mon, 07 Jul 2025 |

|
|
|
|
|