Before Game 4 of the NBA Finals, Jason Kidd staunchly defended Luka Doncic in response to the criticism he has been facing.
Doncic received harsh criticism from the media for his Game 3 performance, which quickly turned into scrutiny of his defensive struggles, weight, and complaints to the officials.
“This is a free country. Everybody has the right to their opinion. It’s just sometimes we might take it a little bit too far, and understanding if you put yourself in that person’s shoes, could you stand up to the barbecue?” Kidd said about the criticism surrounding Luka. “Sometimes we want to fry someone, but if you reversed it, and it was you being fried, would you like it? Most likely not.
“That’s just the nature of the business.
“But this young man has done nothing to anyone but play the game of basketball. And when he’s asked the question, he’s never run from it. He’s answered it. And he’s 25 years old. I think that’s what I’m more disappointed in is that we are at the highest stage where we have one of the best players in the world playing the game the right way but we want to criticize some of the things that he does not do well. But when he does do them well, we are going to come back and want to talk to him, and then when he says no, I’m going to pass, then what happens?
“I think sometimes it’s just unfair or unwarranted to say those things. No one in this room is perfect.”
Well, it seems that Luka took the criticism personally, as he responded with an impressive performance in Game 4, scoring 29 points and contributing five rebounds, five assists, and three steals on 46.2 percent shooting from the field to lead Dallas to a convincing 122-84 victory.
Kidd continued to support his star player.
“The game of sport is not to be perfect. It’s just to win,” Kidd said. “And when you look at what’s come out here in the last day or so, if you’ve watched the Mavs, Luka has improved his defense. But we are asking him, or some are asking him, to be a shutdown defender.
“Well, he’s never been on an All-Defensive Team, but he’s been on five All-Pro Teams, first team. So that means he’s one of the top-five players in the world, and he’s playing the game the right way where he can find open guys. But when you’re on the biggest stage, there’s got to be — someone’s got to poke a hole.”
