Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James on Teams Blitzing Dallas Mavs' Luka Doncic: 'You're Done If Role Players Hit 3s'

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James doesn't understand why teams keep blitzing Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who is blitzed in pick-and-rolls more than any other player in the NBA.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Lakers / Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages

As the Dallas Mavericks continue to surge ahead of the NBA postseason – they've won nine of their last 10 games and have climbed into sixth-place in the Western Conference standings – Luka Doncic is putting up historical numbers despite taking everything opposing defenses can throw at him on a night-to-night basis.

Through 63 games played this seaon, Doncic is averaging a league-best and career-high 33.9 points to go with 9.1 rebounds, 9.8 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and a career-high 37.4 percent from 3-point range. Whether it's from deep, mid-range or in the paint, Doncic finds a way to dominate games no matter what defensive coverages are deployed against him.

On the latest episode of Mind The Game, J.J. Redick and LeBron James discuss NBA players getting blitzed off pick-and-rolls, and James couldn't make sense of why Doncic gets blitzed the most in the league by far.

Dallas Mavericks v Los Angeles Lakers / Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages

"So this year, top five players that have been blitzed in the pick-and-roll: Luka by a lot – almost 200 more blitzes, and then the next four guys are bunched together," Redick said to James. "It's interesting, I looked up your blitzing numbers in the tracking era ... you've never actually been in the top 20 in blitzes against pick-and-rolls. Why do you think that is?"

James responded with a smile: "Because I make all the right reads. It's that simple. Teams know they can't blitz me in the pick-and-roll."

"What's interesting about Luka, I think ... he's one of the handful of guys in this era that can make any pass against the double-team. James is one of them, you are for sure. Luka is on of them," Redick said. "So why are you blitzing him?"

"I don't understand it," James said. "Especially with the shooting they surround him with too. It doesn't make sense. ... Because he's gonna make every read, and when Tim Hardaway is hitting six or seven 3s, you're done. Kyrie's gonna do what Kyrie does. Luka's gonna do what he does. When you get Tim Hardaway hitting six or seven 3s, or in our game earlier this year, we blitzed Luka and Dante Exum hit five, six 3s... yeah." (James ended his answer by laughing at how impossible it is).

The Mavs' 132-96 blowout win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night is a prime example of what James is talking about. Doncic dominated in the first half and finishing with 28 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and Kyrie Irving took over in the second half, finishing with 24 points and eight assists.

However, it was the 3-point shooting from Tim Hardaway Jr. and P.J. Washington that allowed Dallas to blow the doors off Sacramento. The duo combined to go 8-12 from deep and a total of 36 points. If teams are going to continue to blitz Doncic, and the Mavs' role players produce at that level heading into the playoffs, we might be in for a special postseason run from Dallas.