"First Team All-Defense" - Naji Marshall makes astounding claim on Luka Doncic's defensive efforts

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks has improved on defense over the past two seasons, but his new teammates might have taken it too far. Naji Marshall jokingly claimed after Tuesday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans that Doncic could earn an All-Defensive First-Team nod this season.

Speaking to reporters after the Dallas' 132-91 win, Marshall was asked about Doncic's defense. The newest Mavs player joked about it at first but acknowledged how hard the Slovenia star plays on that end of the floor despite his reputation as a subpar defender.

"First Team All-Defense, that's it," Marshall said, according to Sportskeeda's Grant Afseth. "He plays hard, man. He knows the game. He's a master of it. He knows what he's doing out there, and he definitely can defend. People underrate that, but he's definitely a good defender, for sure."

After Luka Doncic's defensive blunder in the Dallas Mavericks' 115-113 loss to the Utah Jazz last Thursday, he promised that he'll be better. Doncic has been hampered by a knee injury that has affected his lateral movement.

But after resting on Sunday's 121-119 win over the OKC Thunder, the Mavs superstar was moving much better. He played solid defense against the New Orleans Pelicans, while the offense was also more fluid. He finished the game with 26 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Doncic shot an efficient 10-for-16, including 3-for-8 from beyond the arc. He remains the main key in Dallas' aspirations to return to the NBA Finals and finish the job.

However, the Mavs are off to a slow start to the season with a current record of 8-7. They are tied with three other teams for the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings. If Doncic maintains his play on both ends of the floor, the Mavs can extend their three-game winning streak further.

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Luka Doncic shares key to Dallas' win against New Orleans

Luka Doncic shares key to Dallas' win against New Orleans. (Photo: IMAGN)

In his postgame press conference, Luka Doncic acknowledged the Dallas Mavericks' slow start to the season. Doncic knew that they had to play better to get their rhythm back. He also wants the team to have the "pace and energy" for their upcoming schedule.

"Just playing with pace and energy," Doncic said, according to Sportskeeda's Grant Afseth. "We've kind of been known for slow starts this season, so we're trying to improve that. Coming out with good defense and pace on offense was key."

Doncic and the Mavericks start a three-game road trip on Friday at the Ball Arena against the Denver Nuggets, which is an Emirates NBA Cup group stage matchup. The Mavs then fly southeast to face the Miami Heat on Sunday before taking on the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 25.