Luka Doncic was elated with the Mavericks stealing Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tonight. Speaking after the game, Doncic praised Kyrie Irving’s performance, noting that he kept them in the game and forced everyone to step up. While Doncic noted that he needed to be better defensively, he was happy with the team getting the all-important win on the road.
Luka Doncic: “We had to work really hard to get this one. I think we know for Game 1 we (can’t) lose, so we tried to make a point. But that’s only one, we got three more to go… Amazing. He (Kyrie Irving) got us going. Without him, we would probably be down 20 in halftime. So he had us going, I had to help him in the second half a little bit. So we switched roles this time… Jaden McDaniels started hitting threes, we said we gonna live with contested threes, but I think I have to do a better job contesting those because he was a big problem in this game.”
"He [Kyrie Irving] got us going, without him, we would probably be down 20 at halftime… I had to help in the second half."
Luka Doncic points out what went right for the Mavericks in their Game 1 WCF win over the Timberwolves 🗣
(via @NBAonTNT)pic.twitter.com/pC3vd6otK7
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 23, 2024
Luka Doncic was solid for the Dallas Mavericks tonight, scoring 33 points, securing 6 rebounds, and making 6 assists. It was yet another stand-out performance from the Slovenian, and one that the Mavericks really needed in order to win Game 1 on the road against the Timberwolves.
Kyrie Irving was just as impressive, scoring 30 points, with 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Irving was the key player for the Mavericks in the first half, as he helped cut down the gap between the two teams, allowing Dallas to stay in the game. Irving showed his mettle and reminded fans of why he is one of the best playoff performers in NBA history.
Despite Kyrie’s heroics, the Mavericks will still be relying on Luka Doncic as their number-one option in the Western Conference Finals.
Luka Doncic Could Cement His Legacy With A Championship
Luka Doncic has been considered one of the best players in the NBA for years now. Since getting drafted in 2018, Doncic has been absolutely spectacular and has captured the imagination of fans all over the world with his incredible scoring exploits. But he seems to have taken another step in his game this year.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd spoke recently about the evolution of Doncic’s game since the last time the Mavericks reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022. And if we take a look at his numbers during this playoff run, it shows that Doncic has been playing some great basketball.
During this playoff run, Doncic has averaged 27.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 9.1 assists. In comparison, in the 2022 NBA playoffs, Doncic averaged 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists. While his scoring numbers are down from the Mavericks’ previous playoff run, it should be noted that Doncic now has another scoring teammate in Kyrie Irving, so he doesn’t have to carry the scoring load nearly as much.
Doncic was named to the All-NBA First Team last night, which now makes him eligible to sign a 5-year, $346 million contract extension with the Mavericks. If he signs this, it will make him the highest-paid player in NBA history. That money can be easily justified if Luka can lead the Mavs to an NBA championship this year.
There will be little time for the Mavericks to celebrate, as they must turn their attention to Game 2. The Timberwolves will be desperate to avenge their loss and get their series started, so the Mavericks will have to lock in if they want to shut them out and secure another win away from home.
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