The Minnesota Timberwolves snatched a 103-96 Game 5 victory over the Lakers to complete the gentleman’s sweep and the inquest into stars like Luka Doncic has already begun.
Doncic finished the game with 28 points, nine assists and seven rebounds but, despite the impressive box score, has been dragged for his efforts on defense.
His biggest critic was Charles Barkley, who slammed Doncic for his conditioning along with his effort on the defensive side of the ball
“Luka can’t guard a chair. Gotta get in better shape too,” Barkley said after the game on Inside the NBA.
“You gotta get in shape to earn that money. He can’t guard anybody.”
Barkley repeated his criticism again towards the end of the show, suggesting Luka is letting his team down.
“He gotta learn to play defense and get in shape,” Barkley added again at the end of the segment. “Try getting in shape first and then it would help.”
The first-round exit represents a significant drop off from Doncic, who reached the NBA Finals last year with the Dallas Mavericks.
Many expected the Mavericks to regroup and go again this season, but Dallas general manager Nico Harrison had other ideas and abruptly ended Doncic’s love affair with the franchise back in February.
Harrison sent Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis to the dismay and fury of Mavs fans.
When pressed on why he would make such a deal, Harrison made his reasons clear.
“I believe that defense wins championships,” Harrison told ESPN.
“I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to win now and in the future.”
Harrison was heavily criticised in the aftermath of the deal, not least from Mavericks fans, who have routinely chanted ‘Fire Nico’ inside American Airlines Center.
However, despite the Mavericks not even reaching the playoffs, losing to the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in, fans online believe Harrison has been somewhat proven right with his decision to trade Doncic, who continues to be a liability on defense.
“Nico Harrison was right he just didn’t piece together the proper trade package,” one fan posted.
“He knew Luka was a cone on defense, as did the whole Twolves team,” one fan wrote on X.
“Everything that yall been knew. Yall just fall in love with offense but forget defense wins championships,” another fan wrote on X in reply to a post praising Harrison.
“He knew Luka out of shape. He knows Luka doesn’t take care of his body and only has a few more years of high level ball. Why pay him if he doesn’t take it seriously? He knew Luka plays zero defense and takes too many step back 3s,” one fan posted.
“Brother… you have to not get blown by like this,” one fan posted along with a clip of Luka getting easily run past in the first quarter against Minnesota.
The first postseason of the LeBron-Doncic axis had ended in failure and with James turning 41 next season, speculation his rife about his future.
“I don’t know,” James said at the post-game presser, when asked how many more years he would play.
“I don’t have the answer to that. (It’s) Something I sit down with my family, my wife, and my support group, and kind of just talk through it and see what happens and just have a conversation with myself on how long I want to continue to play.”
The Lakers also have major roster gaps that need addressing this offseason.
They’re still without a legitimate starting center and their lack of depth and relatively weak bench ultimately cost them against the hungry T-Wolves.
The sixth-seeded Timberwolves were able to outgun the third-seeded Lakers and send them on an early vacation with plenty of questions to ponder.
