Luka Dončić’s Fatal Flaw: Is His Defense the Key to His Downfall?

Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals was a defining moment for Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks. Down 2-0 in the series against the Boston Celtics, the Mavs were fighting to keep their championship hopes alive. With just over four minutes left in the game, Dallas was in the middle of a furious comeback attempt when Dončić found himself at the center of a crucial call. Defending Jaylen Brown just beyond the three-point line, Dončić attempted to set his feet as Brown dribbled between his legs and lowered his shoulder. Contact was made, and both players crashed to the floor.

To Dončić’s disbelief, the foul was called against him—his sixth of the game and fourth in the fourth quarter alone. Sitting on the floor with his arms stretched in frustration, Dončić watched as head coach Jason Kidd challenged the call, only for it to stand. His night was over, and soon, so were the Mavericks’ chances. Boston closed out the game with a 106-99 victory, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead. No team in NBA history had ever come back from such a deficit, and Dallas was no exception.

Throughout the series, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla had systematically targeted Dončić on defense, exposing him as a liability. Boston’s offensive strategy relentlessly attacked his weaknesses, and Luka struggled to keep up. The Mavs’ defensive shortcomings—particularly with Dončić—became an unavoidable narrative. Even after the Finals loss, the concerns lingered. General Manager Nico Harrison indirectly referenced this issue when discussing roster moves, emphasizing a commitment to defensive improvement. “I believe defense wins championships. Having an elite defender and a team-first defensive mentality gives us a better chance to succeed,” he told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. While his words were initially overshadowed by trade debates, they have resurfaced once again—this time through Doc Rivers.

Now with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dončić put up an incredible 45-point double-double in a recent game against the Milwaukee Bucks, showing his offensive brilliance. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent a blowout 20-point loss. Bucks head coach Doc Rivers revealed his team’s approach: “We guarded him 1-on-1 for the most part. We did send a couple of double teams, but our thinking was to guard everybody else and make him work on the other end. See how much he had in the tank.”

Rivers’ strategy mirrored what Boston had done months earlier. Dončić’s defensive struggles had once again become a focal point. His offensive greatness is undeniable, but unless he finds a way to improve defensively and manage his conditioning, teams will continue to exploit the same weakness that cost him and the Mavericks a championship.