NEW ORLEANS — Sometimes the “Dawg’’ bites.
Sometimes the “Dawg’’ gets bit back.
Luka Doncic bites back.
The Dallas point guard continued his MVP campaign on Monday night, with the Bulls becoming the latest victim filed in the dossier. All Doncic did was put up 38 points, grab 11 rebounds and hand out 10 assists. Impressive? Absolutely. The fact that he did it against the self-proclaimed “Dawg’’ — Kris Dunn?
Downright nasty.
Since being drafted fifth overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, Dunn always had the reputation of being a defense-first point guard. The problem was it was more hype than results. Yes, the defensive efficiency was solid when Dunn was on the court at times, but it didn’t scream “game-changer.’’
That’s not the case this year.
For a Bulls organization that talked playoffs in the preseason, very little has gone right. When a team starts off 13-24, it seldom does. The list of fault is long, and starts at the tippy top. Just don’t include Dunn in that.
Sure, the outside shooting is still an issue, and likely always will be. The Bulls knew that when they acquired him in the Jimmy Butler package with Minnesota back in the summer of 2017.
But Dunn’s defense?
If defense is Dunn’s art form, this season has been his masterpiece.
“Yes sir, absolutely,’’ Bulls guard Coby White yelled out excitedly, when Dunn was asked if he deserved NBA All-Defensive mentions so far.
Dunn just laughed.
“The people have spoken,’’ Dunn said, shaking his head in White’s direction. “The people speak.’’
So do the numbers.
As of Tuesday afternoon — and even with the awful performance against Doncic when Dunn fell into foul trouble — Dunn was recording a steal on 3.9 percent of opponent possessions, which led the league among players who have logged at least 200 minutes this season.
Only Ben Simmons (78) had more total steals than Dunn (74), and the Philadelphia point guard had played nearly 400 more minutes. The Bulls defense was 5.2 points per 100 possessions stingier with Dunn on the court rather than when he was sitting.
Finally, opposing teams were turning the ball over on 18.8 percent of possessions with Dunn on the floor, and 16.7 percent of the time when he wasn’t.
It’s all come together for Dunn, and the explanation on why is simple in his mind.
“Even more locked in I think,’’ Dunn said. “I’ve been in the league four years now, starting to get more comfortable, and start to understand what other players like to do and understand their tendencies.’’
Then there’s the mental game.
Dunn has always tried to get into the opponent’s head. This season has been next level. Yes, the trash-talking is still there, but there’s another element to it now. Dunn is both mentally and physically an irritant, disrupting what most guards want to try and get accomplished.
Ask Atlanta’s Trae Young, who Dunn has shut down in two meetings this season.
“I’ve been guarding my whole life,’’ Dunn said. “I know when somebody is kind of fearful. I can see it, I can smell it, and I just try and act on it.’’
His coach can see it as well.
“When people turn their back, when people try and dance by him with the ball, now that’s a dangerous proposition,’’ Jim Boylen said. “What he’s done better this year to me is he’s playing smarter with these guys. He’s understanding when and where, and the rhythm of the game. When a guy is in rhythm he is understanding how to break him out.
“That’s the next level. Can you intelligently be a stopper, not just a tough-minded guy that just plays hard — which he’s been. But I want him to be both.’’
Especially on March 2. That’s the rematch with Doncic, and a chance to see who bites whom.
