Highlights from Luka Dončić's 52-point game against Utah on Sunday.
The NBA Mailbag is open with NBA legend and NBC analyst Jamal Crawford here to answer your questions during the 2026-27 NBA season as he announces games on NBC/Peacock. He will be on the call at Madison Square Garden for Pistons-Knicks tonight (8 ET, NBC/Peacock).
Have a question for Jamal? Submit it here.
What makes Luka so difficult to defend? – from Blake in Provo, UT
We always talk about pace, but the thing that’s special about Luka is that his pace can make you go his pace as a defender. You’re at the mercy of whatever he wants to do. It doesn’t matter if you’re more athletic or you’re stronger. He’s going to put you in such a trick bag that you’re going to be uncomfortable, or you’re gonna say, “Well, that was good defense, but he made a tough shot.” But for him, he’s so at peace with his game that he’s just unbothered.
What team impressed you the most in Week 1? – from Cîrligea in Bucharest, Romania
The Los Angeles Lakers at 3-0. Obviously, Luka is Luka. But they’re playing with so much joy, and that’s infectious. I would be lying if I said I thought they would start the season 3-0. It’s still early, but it’s been nice to see.
Who is your favorite to win the title this season? – from John in Naples, Italy
Oh, my gosh. Going into the season, I said the Spurs. But if I’m being really honest, I don’t like them starting three guards. I feel like it takes the ball out of Wemby’s hands. So I like one of those guys coming off the bench. I think that’s part of the reason they’re a little disjointed right now. I need to see more of them to really feel good about that pick.
So with that being said, my favorites right now … are still the Spurs. I think they’ll figure it out.
What do you think of the new-look Timberwolves’ hot start? – from Zidane in Sioux Falls, SD
I love how the Wolves look, even after the OT loss to Cleveland. It’s like they’re playing on the playground … in a good way. They’re just having fun with the pure, true essence of basketball. The joy and spirit they’re playing with is contagious not only to the players and coaches, but to everybody watching their games.
They’re already playing an unselfish brand of basketball to go with the entertainment. They’re playing for each other, and you can just tell they’re truly fans of each other. So it makes it more enjoyable when LaMelo does three different combos into a step-back three, and then Ant and Bones Hyland are celebrating on the bench near half-court. That energy and mutual appreciation make the team even more enjoyable to watch.
"Creativity on display in Minneapolis!"
LAMELO'S STEPBACK from his @Timberwolves home debut got Ant and Bones off their seats 😮💨
Wolves seek 4-0 tonight on NBA League Pass. pic.twitter.com/Z3PgzkfDMV
— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2026
It feels similar to when I shared a backcourt with Stephon Marbury in New York and then Chris Paul in LA. With Marbury, we were top three scoring backcourts in the league that first year, and we helped bring the best out of each other. With CP3, it was almost like putting two rappers on the same song. We were having fun and trying to impress each other with each verse. I remember I did the between-the-legs alley-oop to Blake, and then two games later CP3 threw the lob to Deandre Jordan for the dunk over Brandon Knight. We were always going back and forth with, “You see that? Yeah, well, check this out.”
What are your thoughts on Miami’s start to the season, and what do they need to change with the team? – from Lennon in Nevada
I don’t like what I’m seeing, and I don’t like the body language, to be honest with you. It just seems disjointed. It seems like there are a couple of different teams in one. There’s a team with Bam and Giannis as the centerpieces, and they’re still trying to figure that out. And then there’s another team when one of those two is off the court. They play faster, they push the pace and that looks more like Heat basketball. Obviously, it’s not going to be fixed overnight. But at the end of the day, it has to be addressed because those two star players are such a big part of what they do.
By the end of the season, who do you predict will enjoy their new team the most? – from Todd in Minneapolis, MN
LaMelo. He and Ant are kindred spirits. You probably couldn’t find two guys whose skill sets fit better together and whose personalities, more importantly, fit better. You could easily see them spending as much time together as any two teammates in the league because they just seem to like similar stuff. The same things make them laugh; they dislike the same things. You can see them being the best of friends away from basketball.
Should I be worried about the Spurs and their offense? – from Robert in Isabel, KS
I don’t think you should be worried, but you should definitely be aware of what’s going on. It’s too early to really worry at this moment, especially for a team that just went to the Finals. But we definitely should be aware and kind of keep an eye on certain things, for sure. I think one of the guards – Harper, Castle, or Fox – needs to sacrifice and come off the bench. It gives them balance. If you look at their bench right now, there’s not a pure go-to scorer. The guy who was starting last year, Champagnie, can play off of the starters, but he’s not necessarily a creator off the bench. So I would like to see one of those creators come off the bench.
Who has the best chance to make the playoffs out of these three: Wizards, Jazz, Mavericks? – from Yisehak in Washington, D.C.
I’m going with the Wizards. I believe Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and the other veterans, with a young star (who hasn’t played yet) in AJ Dybantsa, is a good recipe for success. So I trust that group to make the playoffs more than the other two teams.
Where do you see the Nuggets finishing in the West standings? – from James in North Dakota
Whenever you have Jokić, you have a chance. Whenever you have Jokić and Murray, you really have a chance. So I could see them finishing top six. They’re consistent, they’re steady. Health is important, as it is for every team. Getting Aaron Gordon back in the mix will help. But Jokić is one of the best players in the world, if not the very best. So whenever you have him, you have a chance.
Throughout your 20-year career, which NBA player surprised you the most with how talented they were once you actually shared the court with them? – from Sam in Great Neck, NY
Jokić.
In 2018, I remember playing them with the Timberwolves in the final game of the season. Both teams had identical records, and the winner would secure the final playoff spot. So it was a unique situation. I was beyond surprised by how great he was. I didn’t realize he thought about the game the way he did, and how he could control the game, even with the skill set he had. He was unreal to me.
He’s so great that he removes the player he’s playing against; he’s playing against your coach. So it’s like, oh, you’re going to double? Okay, that means he’s open. Are you going to double on the catch before I dribble? Okay, that means I’ll get rid of it quickly. Now you’re going to double when I put the dribble down? I’m just going to hold the ball for a while to keep you in position, then I’ll dribble to take control of your defense. He’s so smart and has a brilliant, brilliant basketball mind.
Who is the most athletic PG you’ve ever faced? – from EJ in Hong Kong
Derrick Rose, tied with Russell Westbrook. Before them, Baron Davis and Steve Francis.
D-Rose was like a world-class track athlete playing basketball. His 1.2 turbo burst, his athleticism – off one foot or two. He was just unreal in every way; he checked every single box of athleticism. He was like a jet. So I think that’s what made him different from everybody else. It’s rare for a player to have his combination of athleticism and speed.
What player from the 70s, 80s, or 90s would you want to see play in today’s game? – from Landon in Florida
Let’s do all three. For the 70s, Pistol Pete. For the 80s, Michael Jordan, of course. And for the 90s, I’ll go with Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Nick Van Exel.
Who was your favorite lob partner? – from Easton in Arkansas
Ooh, that’s a tie between Blake and DJ. I’ll have to find out who I threw more assists to.
Did you enjoy bouncing around the league, or would you rather have stayed with 1 team your whole career? – from Khalen in Kansas City, MO
I would have rather stayed with one, maybe two teams. Bouncing around the league is tough, not only from the standpoint of you moving. But now your family needs to move, your kids need to change schools. Or do they stay and you’re in different cities during the season? Then you have to learn the ropes in the new city. And you become on edge, thinking another trade’s going to happen.
So, yeah, that wasn’t the most comfortable thing. But I take great pride in knowing I still figured it out.
How is the game different today from when you were playing? – from Bryan in Oklahoma City, OK
It’s a lot faster. And it’s a lot less physical.
It’s a lot faster just through freedom of movement, style of play, and teams getting up a ton of threes. It’s a lot less physical because when I was coming up, you could actually use a forearm to slow the offensive player down. Obviously, that’s not always the best aesthetically to watch. But looking back, I kind of liked it because if you could really score, you could get through that defense, versus everybody being able to score.
Both felt like gradual changes over my 20 years.
What separates players who can perform flashy moves from those who truly understand how to manipulate a defender? – from Williams in Minneapolis, MN
It depends on your purpose. Sometimes you have guys whose purpose is just to do a flashy move, versus ones who are saying, “You know what? I may have to use my handles more in this pick-and-roll situation – just snake dribble and get around – to have my defender stuck on the screen. Now I get to switch on the big.”
So they may use a flashy dribble with a purpose, instead of just using it to spam dribble, as the kids say.
How do you translate the performance you have in practice/training to a game? – from Drew in Longview, TX
I try to go game speed. That’s always the thing players say, “Oh, the game is moving so fast.” To me, that means you were training slow and weren’t prepared for that intensity. If you’re going half speed in the workouts, then it is moving fast when the game happens, right?
So I always try to be very cognizant of that. I would rather train a shorter amount of time at game speed than train a longer time at half speed.
What are some things you tell JJ to watch closely for when he’s studying the game? – from Bobby in Arizona
The why. Everything’s the why. When you’re young, you see the flashy move, but like, how did that player get to that? He may see a one-foot runner and be like, “Oh, that guy made a tough shot.” I’m like, “Yeah, he made it, but that was kind of a lucky shot because he didn’t get to 2 feet.”
So just the fundamentals of the game and the why. He’s always watching from that perspective now. I don’t have to tell him that like I used to when he was younger. Now he understands why certain things are happening on the floor. I always want him to be the smartest thinker, or one of the smartest thinkers, on the court, no matter who he’s playing with. To me, that’s the great equalizer when you’re playing older people, bigger people, whoever.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🙏🏾 @JJ1Crawford https://t.co/dFsJS8MSLP pic.twitter.com/GLV1xEpz8U
— 🏁 Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) October 26, 2026
What do you think of people training their handle using a plastic bag over the ball? – from Bailey in Scotland
I’ve never done that. I don’t even know what that feels like. But I guess it would be similar to dribbling in the rain.
The purpose is to make things uncomfortable, which then forces you to figure out how to get comfortable, even when you don’t have full control. That’s kind of how I did it when I was dribbling in the rain. I would figure out how to guide it and hold it, even when it was wet. I figured if it was wet and I could do that, it’d be easier when it was dry.
If you were a teenager trying to become an elite guard today, how would you structure your daily workouts? – from Manu in Sofia, Bulgaria
I would focus on watching film, practicing your shot, and getting in great shape. Shooting always translates, whether off the dribble or catch-and-shoot. So that should be a priority.
And being in great shape is underrated. Not everybody is in great shape. And with the speed of the game now, I would make that the No. 1 priority. If you’re not in great shape, then the rest doesn’t matter. You can shoot the best in the world and have all the moves, but if you’re not in great shape, then you’re going to tire out and not be as effective.
When I was coming up, I was more focused on skill development. But now everybody’s doing skill development. Everybody has a trainer. Everybody is working with somebody. That’s all still needed; just make sure what you’re doing translates to the current game. Don’t spend your time doing 50 million moves that you’ll never be able to do at the higher levels that you want to play.
