“Him and Derrick, they’re our dawgs”: Luka Doncic showers praise on PJ Washington and teammate for stellar defense and clutch plays
Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a close 117-116 win over the top-seeded OKC Thunder on Saturday, winning the Western Conference semifinals in six games and advancing to the West Finals. They face the winner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
Following the game, Luka Doncic made sure to highlight key players like PJ Washington and Dereck Lively for making crucial plays in each of their four wins.
Luka Doncic told Cassidy Hubbarth on the sidelines:
"Him and Derrick, they're our dawgs. They're amazing, every game, never complained once, never nothing, just playing hard. Hoop and have fun man, those are the kind of people you need on your team."
In the waning moments of the game, with the Mavericks trailing 116-115, OKC star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander fouled Dallas forward P.J. Washington on a corner 3-point attempt with 2.5 seconds remaining.
Washington calmly sank the first two free throws, putting Dallas ahead 117-116. Anticipating the situation, Washington intentionally missed the third free throw, as OKC had no timeouts left. Despite Jalen Williams attempting a near full-court heave at the buzzer, the shot fell short, sealing the Mavericks' victory.
Luka Doncic leads Dallas Mavericks with triple-double
Kyrie Iving struggled to find his rhythm early on but ignited in the second half, making crucial shots and ending the game with 22 points on 9-23 shooting from the floor.
At halftime, with the Mavericks trailing the Thunder by 16, Irving rallied his teammates with a challenge, and they responded impressively.
Following his standout performance in Game 5 with a 30-point triple-double, Luka Doncic continued his impressive form by recording 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in Game 6.
He shot efficiently, going 9-15 overall and 4-6 from beyond the arc. Despite a previous drop in efficiency during the playoffs, Doncic bounced back with consecutive highly efficient performances.
Derrick Jones Jr., a potential top priority for the Mavericks in free agency this summer, delivered a significant boost with 22 points on 8-13 shooting overall, including 4-6 from beyond the arc.
Jones set a playoff career-high in points for the third consecutive game. Before Game 6, he had achieved three consecutive games with 15+ points only once.
Rookie center Dereck Lively emerged as a standout performer in Dallas' Game 6 victory over OKC, earning recognition as one of the team's primary heroes.
He tallied 12 points, 15 rebounds, one block and one steal while shooting an efficient 5-6 from the floor. Lively showcased exceptional defensive prowess throughout the game, contributing significantly with a +26 rating, surpassing all Mavericks players.