5 things Luka Doncic must improve next season if the Dallas Mavericks want contend

The Dallas Mavericks had one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. Superstar Luka Doncic finished second in the NBA in scoring, but his team missed the postseason just one year after reaching the conference finals. There was a massive late-season collapse that saw Dallas win just seven of their final 25 games to fall from fourth to 11th in the Western Conference.

Much work needs to be done this summer to get the Mavs back into contention. They are hoping to keep their top-ten protected pick in the draft lottery along with re-signing Kyrie Irving and making some significant defensive upgrades. Dallas needs reinforcements and growth from their current talent to jump back into the playoffs.

Luka has to be better next season if the Mavericks want to win more games and make a deep run. His numbers are otherworldly, but number 77 has to improve on these five things for the Mavs to reach their goals next season.

Things Luka Doncic must improve for Dallas Mavericks to contend: 5. Focus

Doncic has been known to lose focus on the game when arguing a call, and it felt like that reached an all-time high this season. He was giving it to the officials after every miss, and it stopped him from getting back and helping his teammates on defense.

Doncic often loses his focus on the defensive end of the floor as well. Whether it is forgetting to box out his man or letting him cut to the rim for an easy bucket, LD is not always locked in on the task at hand.

This shows up frequently against lesser competition. Luka is not that focused on the game against rebuilding teams or ones with their star players out. It is why Dallas gave away so many games to inferior opponents this season.

This is not a shot at Luka or his game. He is one of the five best players in the world right now, but the Dallas Mavericks needs him to be locked in. He must make plays on both ends of the floor if they are going to make another deep playoff run. It will take increased focus from Doncic, and an improvement in this area.

4. Conditioning

It is much easier to lose focus when tired, and conditioning has been an issue for Luka Doncic in the past. That is not to say that he is out of shape or overweight. The 24-year-old put up 32.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 34.2 percent on his 3-point attempts on one of the toughest shot diets in the league. Everyone is trying to stop him, which makes those stats even more impressive.

Luka is going to take positions off on both ends of the floor. All superstars do, but the Mavericks need to limit that number. That starts with number 77 getting in the best shape of his life.

The Dallas Mavericks have two elite closers after trading for Kyrie Irving in early February, but they were one of the worst clutch teams in the league. Blame it on the two superstars figuring out how to play together if you wish, but Dallas was 6-15 in clutch games from Feb. 8 to the end of the regular season. They need Luka shining in the biggest moments, and he needs to have the energy to make that happen.

The Mavs are going to ask Luka Doncic to take on a monster workload again next season, and he must show up in prime shape to handle that and lead his team, especially if they want to make a postseason run.

3. Transition D

Fans know this is a massive problem for Luka. The Mavs committed the second-fewest turnovers in the league this season, but he allows the other team to get transition opportunities off missed baskets. Doncic’s penchant for arguing with the officials plays a factor here, but he was called "the worst transition defender in the history of basketball” by a scout, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Hear his quote below.

Say it is just two baskets per game where Luka does not get back on defense and the opposition gets an easy score. The Mavericks lost by four or fewer points or in overtime 14 times this season. Flip around even seven of those into wins, and Dallas finishes tied for fourth in the Western Conference with the Phoenix Suns.

They are a competitive team that could easily turn things around, but it is going to take improvements to their roster and on their mistakes.

There are zero reasons for Luka Doncic to be one of the worst transition defenders. He just does not hustle back on defense, especially when he is arguing a call. Number 77 is passionate and wants to win above all else. Improving his transition defense will help the Dallas Mavericks win significantly more than Doncic arguing with the officials.

2. Defensive intensity

Luka Doncic averaged a career-high 1.4 steals per game this season, but that number dropped when the team started losing. Injuries could have played a factor, but over his final 19 games, he averaged just 1.0 steal per game and it was propped up by a four-steal night against the Nuggets on Feb. 15.

His defensive intensity plays a significant factor here. Luka is a below-average defender, but he makes himself seem worse by not trying on that end of the floor. Head coach Jason Kidd loves to use the term “participate”. The Mavs need Doncic to participate on defense. He does not need to be a lockdown defender, but the 24-year-old superstar must guard his man and box out when he crashes the glass.

Fans see Luka’s defensive intensity fluctuate in games. He often makes his best defensive plays late with the contest on the line. The Mavs need to see that Luka more if they are going to be serious title contenders. The season is a grind, and there are going to be bad nights, but Dallas needs number 77 to be engaged on the defensive end of the floor every night if they want to win.

Luka’s defensive intensity is often the worst when the opposition is not strong. The Dallas Mavericks need him to be more consistent and to participate on defense.

1. Leadership

Luka Doncic is the leader of the Dallas Mavericks, and he seems to embrace that role. Number 77 has been the team’s best player since he arrived in 2018, but others have often been the leader. Jalen Brunson even shouldered some of that responsibility during the team’s run to the conference finals in 2022, and Doncic must learn from his former teammate.

Luka needs to be the vocal leader and lead by example. It is hard to convince others to give max effort on the defensive end of the floor when the best player is not. Things become impossible when you call a teammate out for a missed defensive rotation when the leader has missed a handful in the game.

Screaming at the referee and not getting back on defense to help your teammates also does not do him any favors in the leadership category. It makes it acceptable to be upset and let it impact your defense. The Mavericks have to improve their defense to get back to the playoffs, and the only way that happens is with effort. Improving the effort starts with Luka.

Luka Doncic learned a lot from the 2022-23 season, and fans can bet that he is going to use it as fuel to improve his game. Can number 77 take a massive leap this summer? Will he have the Dallas Mavericks right back in contention to win the Western Conference next season? Stay tuned to find out.