Dallas Basketball

Mavs' Luka Borrows Dirk's One-Legged Euro Fadeaway

Dallas Mavs Star Luka Doncic Borrows Dirk Nowitzki's One-Legged Euro Fadeaway - But Doesn't Love The Results

Mike Fisher

DALLAS - It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Add some self-effacing reviews from Luka Doncic regarding his attempt to mimic the legendary Dirk Nowitzki, as you may have captured Doncic's basketball persona all in two quick takes.

Start with the Dallas Mavericks' preseason win Monday at Milwaukee, in which Luka found himself in position to unveiled his best impression of Dirk's patented "One-Legged Euro Lean-Back.''

No, it wasn't executed exactly as Dirk did it over the course of two decades as one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. But we can guarantee you that the Mavs icon Nowitzki reviews it with humble pride, as he surely does every single time he sees players of this next generation copying his move, mostly without even thinking about it, because ...

It's now an institutionalized, etched-in-hardcourt basketball move.

But while MFFL's were impressed, and while Dirk was surely flattered, the Mavs young superstar thought the performance left something to be desired.

"Slow,'' was Luka's self-evaluation.

Dirk, of course, used his move usually after creating a post-up opportunity. The more mobile Luka here does it off a drive, and in traffic ... because he can.

READ MORE: Mavs Talk: 'I'm Not In My Best Shape,' Says Luka After Beating Bucks

And "slow''? Maybe that's the result of Doncic not quite being in shape, as he readily admits. Or maybe it's just that aforementioned humility, with is quite Dirk-like.

READ MORE: Mavs Stay Perfect in Preseason, Topple Bucks, 128-112

But even with whatever limitations inhibited him, he led Dallas to a second win in as many meetings with the Bucks (he had 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in 29 minutes of play through three quarters in Game 2) ... and he'll likely do the same on Thursday in the preseason-closer at the AAC against Minnesota.

As new teammate Josh Richardson said, “What are you going to say about that guy on offense? He can do literally everything.''

Luka can even "do Dirk.''

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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NBA and the Dallas Mavericks since 1990. He has for more than 20 years served as the overseer of DallasBasketball.com, the granddaddy of Mavs news websites.

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