2 NBA champions call Mavericks star Luka Doncic the toughest cover in NBA

The Dallas Mavericks are relying more on Luka Doncic after the departure of Jalen Brunson, and the 23-year-old is rewarding them with the best play of his already incredible career. Doncic is leading the league in scoring, usage, and time of possession, but how much workload can he handle?

There are massive issues when Luka heads to the bench, and those were on full display when he rested against the Rockets on Wednesday night. The Mavs need to get him Doncic more help, but that won’t be easy if they want to keep all of their first-round picks to go hunting for a second star player in the summer of 2023.

Luka is off to an incredible start, and he is getting plenty of recognition for his elite offense. Danny Green and Kendrick Perkins discussed what makes Doncic impossible to guard on a recent episode of ESPN's NBA Today. Here is a closer look at what the two NBA champions had to say about number 77.

2 NBA champions call Mavericks star Luka Doncic the toughest cover in NBA

Danny Green has won three NBA championships, including one in 2020 with Jason Kidd and Los Angeles Lakers. He was asked about what makes Luka Doncic the toughest player to defend in the league right now, and Green had this response.

"He’s just a crafty big guard. He is too big for small guards, and for bigger guys to guard him, he’s too fast. He knows how to use his body well, and he knows how to get to his spots. He uses great touch around the rim, he shoots the three well, stepbacks from deep range, and he’s going to get to the free throw line. If you guard him tight, he’s going to use your body against you. He does all the little things that he needs to do to make the game easier for himself."

Green went on to note that Doncic is going to do whatever it takes to keep his team in the game, and Kendrick Perkins added this about Luka being the hardest player to guard in the league at this moment.

"He is. I keep comparing him to a younger LeBron James minus the athleticism. To all the points that Danny said, he is just a big guard. At that point forward position, he’s so crafty, he’s a hooper, and he has that dog in him. He embraces that type of atmosphere when he’s on the road, that challenge when a team like the Clippers come into his house. He takes that game personally."

Perk also noted that Luka’s improved conditioning has helped him become impossible to guard, and he even gave some credit to Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd for number 77’s improvements. Fans can listen to the entire segment on Luka below.

Luka Doncic is only 23 years old, and the Dallas Mavericks superstar just keeps improving. He will add more tricks to his already incredible bag, and get better on the defensive end of the floor. The Mavs are just one or two pieces away from being annual title contenders, and Doncic has already proven he is unstoppable in the postseason. Stay tuned because the best is yet to come.