"Luka's a gangster" - 3x Sixth Man of the Year heaps praise on Mavericks superstar's dominance this season
Dallas Mavericks superstar guard Luka Doncic is set to make his first NBA Finals appearance later this week against the Boston Celtics. Ahead of Thursday's Game 1 showdown, three-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford raved about the 25-year-old's knack for stepping up in critical moments.
Through 17 playoff outings, Doncic has consistently showcased his well-rounded skill set. The five-time All-Star is leading all players in total postseason points (489), rebounds (164), assists (150), steals (28) and 3-pointers (57).
Meanwhile, Doncic has shown no fear in clutch situations, regularly hitting big-time shots to silence opposing teams' fanbases. While doing so, he often engages in fierce trash talk with players and fans.
On "Bully Ball" on Monday, Crawford touched on Doncic chirping at Minnesota Timberwolves fans during the Mavericks' five-game Western Conference finals series win. The 44-year-old highlighted Doncic's mental toughness, stemming from his upbringing in Slovenia.
"Luka's a gangster," Crawford said. "I mean that in the most respectful way. What Luka's seen, where he came from, Slovenia. Luka is really like that. ... Luka is a real dog, like, he's going to get it. The bigger the moment, the bigger play, the better Luka is, and even some greats don't do that. So, he's different."
Despite only being in Year 6, Doncic has extensive experience in high-stakes, hostile situations. Before getting drafted into the NBA, he joined Real Madrid at age 13, becoming Europe's top player by age 19. As a teenager, he guided Real Madrid to three Liga ACB championships (2015, 2016 and 2018) and a EuroLeague championship (2018).
So, Doncic has seemingly always been ahead of schedule, likely factoring into him looking so comfortable in crucial NBA playoff moments.
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Jamal Crawford expects Kyrie Irving to elevate his play in NBA Finals to help Luka Doncic carry Mavericks
While Jamal Crawford has been impressed by Luka Doncic's sensational playoff run, he also has high NBA Finals expectations for Doncic's co-star Kyrie Irving.
Through 17 postseason contests, Irving is averaging 22.8 points per game, second on Dallas behind Doncic's team-best 28.8 ppg. The superstar duo's potent one-two offensive punch has garnered them consistent praise, with many debating their all-time backcourt ranking.
Nonetheless, during his "Bully Ball" appearance, Crawford predicted Irving to elevate his offensive production to another level in the finals.
"He's definitely going to average over 25 [ppg]," Crawford said. "... He's gotta average 25 [ppg] for them to win, and I think he knows that."
Irving averaged 25.6 ppg over 58 regular-season appearances. Meanwhile, he should be motivated in a finals matchup against his former team. However, it remains to be seen if the eight-time All-Star can match his regular-season production against the league-best Celtics (64-18).
If he does, it will likely go a long way toward helping the Mavericks pull off an upset and secure their first NBA title since 2011.
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