Decoding How Luka Doncic Uses the Pick-and-Roll to Beat the NBA’s Best Defenses

Luka Doncic has faced the Minnesota Timberwolves twice this season, and the Slovenian star has performed well in both games.

Against the NBA’s top defense, Doncic averaged 36.5 points, 10.5 assists, and 6.0 rebounds with a shooting percentage of 50.9%. While the Wolves won the first game, Doncic led his teammates to revenge in the second encounter. In the most recent game, Doncic scored 34 points with 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

Doncic is currently the NBA’s premier offensive star, averaging over 30 points per game, and no NBA defense can stop the Dallas Mavericks’ star at the moment. Let’s explore the keys that help Doncic penetrate any defense.

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How Luka Doncic Uses the Pick-and-Roll to Beat the NBA’s Best Defenses 🎥 Scenario

✏️ Implementation Dwight Powell brings the ball close to Doncic on the right side, then makes the pass.

Instead of immediately moving, Doncic waits for Derrick Jones Jr. to come back closer to the court’s corner before continuing the attack. Then, he executes a fake shot, causing Anthony Edwards to jump up to block.

Luka Doncic vs. Timberwolves No. 1 (NBA) Doncic’s fake shot makes Edwards jump up, right into the position where Powell has already set the screen after passing the ball to Doncic. Blocked by Powell, Edwards cannot continue to defend Doncic.

Luka Doncic vs. Timberwolves No. 2 (NBA) As Edwards is blocked by Powell, Rudy Gobert – a power forward – rushes out to prevent Doncic from shooting a three-pointer. The 24-year-old star intentionally dribbles to pull Gobert away from the basket area and open up space behind the French power forward.

Luka Doncic vs. Timberwolves No. 3 (NBA) This situation puts the Wolves in a challenging position.

The Wolves don’t want Gobert to defend Doncic, so Edwards has to return after escaping Powell’s screen. However, this means they have up to 2 defenders on Doncic at the same time. With Jaden McDaniels unable to provide support as he’s defending Kyrie Irving on the left, the Wolves’ defensive formation is skewed.

Doncic has 3 options, depending on Minnesota’s final defensive rotation between Kyle Anderson and Karl-Anthony Towns:

Option 1: Pass to Tim Hardaway Jr. in the left corner if Anderson decides to stay inside the paint to prevent Powell’s penetration. Option 2: Pass to Jones in the right corner if Towns stays in position and doesn’t come out to defend. Option 3: Pass to Powell under the basket if Anderson and Towns react too slowly or anticipate the pass to the corner. And Doncic makes a move, looking towards Jones on the right corner, appearing to choose option 2.

Luka Doncic vs. Timberwolves No. 4 (NBA) But with Anderson stepping out to the right corner to block Hardaway and Towns staying put, Doncic opts for option 3 – a direct pass to Powell. Doncic’s height of 6’8″ allows him to survey and make the best decision.

Luka Doncic vs. Timberwolves No. 5 (NBA) 🤔 How to Stop Luka Doncic? Doncic is one of the most troublesome pick-and-roll players in the current NBA.

Statistics show that only Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks scores more points per game than Doncic from pick-and-roll situations. But Doncic is more efficient than Trae Young and most other players in the league, ranking 89th with 1.06 points per possession.

Doncic may not shoot threes as quickly as Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard, but he excels in everything else at the highest level of the game.

The only player who attempts more long-range floaters than Doncic is Nikola Jokic, despite playing as a center. Doncic also has remarkable success with shots around the rim, achieving a 77.3% field goal percentage. These are the kind of performances expected from power forwards like Giannis Antetokounmpo, not from a skilled guard like Doncic.

Doncic plays at his own pace, using his body to protect the ball from defenders and defeating them with smooth footwork like the eurostep or spin moves. Doncic’s feel for the ball and the basket is exceptional, and his only offensive weakness is his slightly below-average finishing at the rim.

Doncic is much more technical and agile than his 6’8″ frame suggests. That’s why the Wolves don’t want Gobert to defend Doncic, as the French center would be easily surpassed if he had to defend him from beyond the three-point line. It’s not Gobert’s fault; Doncic can beat any opponent in a one-on-one situation.

Doncic currently leads the league in isolation scoring, achieving a 76.4% efficiency rate. Doncic surpasses most guards and exploits his physique to defeat them. When facing big men, they’re not quick enough to catch up with someone as agile and fast as him. As Doncic’s step-backs become more effective, no defense has found a solution to stop him.

Most of Doncic’s individual performances begin with the pick-and-roll. This is what Gobert and the Timberwolves are trying to avoid:

So, what can be done to stop Doncic? He’ll call for a pick-and-roll and penetrate the paint area to finish at the rim, with a floater, or with a turnaround. Besides, Doncic is ready for any one-on-one battle as he’s also a proficient post-up player.

Many teams have even tried to catch Doncic off guard by changing how and when they double-team him, but Doncic is often sensitive enough to recognize that.

Doncic’s playing style hasn’t changed much over the years, but his skills have become sharper, and teams are finding it increasingly difficult to contain him. The Mavericks have also built their team around Doncic’s style of play. They always have three good ball handlers on the court to stretch the defense and capitalize on Doncic’s passes. Additionally, they always arrange for a big man ready to cut, creating space for Doncic under the basket.

Stopping Doncic at this point is impossible for most NBA teams.