"We were having fun"- Luka Doncic reflects on deficit trimming runs, gives candid suggestion on tips to replicate that
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks went into the halftime break trailing the Boston Celtics 63-42. The hosts would have carried a much bigger lead if not for Doncic’s 7-0 blast to end the first half to push the Mavs closer. Inside their locker room, Doncic and Co. were emphatically told by their coach Jason Kidd to "have some fun" and not let the stage overwhelm them.
The Mavericks responded to Kidd’s instructions and came out of the dugout with more focus and determination. They unleashed a 22-9 run that was capped off by Doncic’s 27-footer to cut the Celtics’ lead to 72-64. It looked like Dallas was going to pull off another impressive comeback after falling into a deep hole.
Luka Doncic had this to say about what the Dallas Mavericks did during that stretch:
“We were just playing basketball. I think in those moments when we were playing our basketball, we were getting stops, we didn’t allow them to an offensive rhythm so we were having fun out there for a couple of moments and that’s what we are gonna do more.”
Doncic, who made his NBA Finals debut, found out that the Celtics were not wilting under pressure. After Dallas made the decisive run, Joe Mazzulla called another timeout to regroup. The hosts staggered the visitors with a 14-0 response to end the third quarter with an 86-66 lead. The Mavericks couldn’t recover after that telling run by Boston.
Luka Doncic was front and center in Dallas’ run to start the third quarter. The Mavericks may have had more fun had Kyrie Irving been playing to his usual standards. “Uncle Drew,” however, missed a couple of shots and coughed up the ball twice during the said period. As great as they played, they would have been better had Irving not struggled.
Luka Doncic and the Mavericks may still have their fun despite the lopsided loss
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks took the Game 1 beatdown in stride. They were in the same situation twice in the playoffs and recovered just fine. The Mavs lost 109-97 to the LA Clippers in Game 1 of their first-round series after trailing by 29 points.
A similar drubbing happened also in Game 1 versus the OKC Thunder in the semis. Doncic and Co. lost 117-95 after failing to overcome a 25-point deficit. Dallas rebounded from the losses to win both series in six games. They had their fun once they figured out how to beat both higher-seeded teams.
Luka Doncic is hoping his team can keep the same trend in the NBA Finals. Boston’s only two losses so far in the playoffs came in Game 2 versus the Miami Heat and Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Celtics might be vulnerable Doncic and his teammates can have more fun.