Dallas Mavericks Hall of Fame forward Dirk Nowitzki lost 4-2 to the Miami Heat in his first NBA Finals appearance in 2006 when Luka Doncic was 7. It took Nowitzki five years to earn his rematch against the Heat in 2011. And while Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum predicts a rematch against Doncic and the Mavericks in 2025 after losing 4-1 in this year’s Finals, Nowitzki gave Doncic advice ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, per DLLS Sports’ Mavs podcast’s Kevin Gray Jr.’s X, formerly Twitter account.
“Well, just keep doing what he’s doing,” Nowitzki told Doncic. “It’s good sometimes to get a little disappointment to try again to motivate you and push you to work harder…”
Nowitzki seems confident that Doncic is on the right path toward winning an NBA championship one day. Entering his seventh season with the Mavs, Luka had the summer to reflect on last year’s Finals. Nowitzki believes the extended time off will steer the five-time All-Star to becoming an even better player ahead of what Dirk anticipates will be another deep playoff run in 2025 for Dallas.
“Honestly, just keep doing what he’s doing. He’s an incredible player. He’s playing at the highest level. He’s an MVP-type caliber every year. So, staying healthy [is key]. Take care of your body. It’s going to be another long year,” Nowitzki added. “So, he knows that after the Olympic qualifier, he just took a bunch of time off now to get away a little bit and see his family. To now, obviously, ramp up his workload and be ready for camp and a long season.”
Nearly averaging a triple-double, Doncic posted a career-best 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game last season. 2023-24 marked the first time he’s ever averaged nine-plus assists and rebounds in a single season.
Luka Doncic looks ready for the season after recent weight concerns
Dirk Nowitzki watched Luka Doncic get criticized for his defense during the Mavericks’ NBA Finals series against the Celtics. After the Celtics targeted Doncic, forcing him to defend Boston’s All-Star tandem Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on defensive switches throughout the series exposed Luka’s delayed coverage often. This particular hurdle was magnified in Game 3 when Doncic fouled out before the Celtics took a 3-0 lead.
National media accused him of being out of shape and a defensive turnstile for the Mavs. However, when a recent photo of Doncic surfaced online, many noted that Doncic could be in the best shape of his career.
Doncic and the Mavs will open their preseason schedule against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 7.
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