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The entire league has taken notice of Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic's ascent to superstardom, as opposing defenses have already put a target on his back each time they play the Mavs.
Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle has started to take notice that other teams are now ramping up the physicality against the 20-year-old Slovenian, in a bid to subdue his all-around impact on the floor. He expressed his displeasure with how officials are handling the situation, prior to the Mavs' home game against the Charlotte Hornets at the American Airlines Center on Saturday.
Carlisle explicitly described how teams are now defending Doncic, per ESPN's Tim McMahon.
“They’re beating the s— out of him. He’s handling it well, but teams are taking liberties with him. It isn’t right.”
Carlisle added that the deliberate hits on Luka Doncic are happening more and more as the season progresses, despite having constant communication with the referees.
Doncic, meanwhile, has played in six games since returning from an ankle injury last month that cost him to miss almost a week of action. His rhythm and conditioning are finally coming together, but Carlisle is still taking extra measures by sitting him early to keep him fresh in the final minutes of the game.
The brief layoff did not seem to affect Doncic that much, as he has been his usual phenomenal self with averages of 29.1 points, 9.6 rebounds, 8.9 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Dallas' record is 5-5 in their last 10 games and has dropped to sixth place in the West with a 22-12 slate.
The Mavs haven't made the postseason since 2016, and Luka Doncic's health moving forward will certainly play a big factor if the team can break that slump this season.
