The Dallas Mavericks are two losses away from ending the 2023-24 NBA season as runners-up. They need to find a way to beat the Boston Celtics in Games 3 and 4 to have a chance, with Luka Doncic openly talking about how the Mavericks need to fix their offense to win games, as the team’s defense has been great.
“Our defense, has not been bad. We just can’t really score. That’s our main problem right now. I think we’re getting some great looks & like I said we have confidence everybody can make a shot that’s shooting the ball on our team so we just gotta keep believing it.”
Luka Dončić: “Our defense, has not been bad. We just can’t really score. That’s our main problem right now. I think we’re getting some great looks & like I said we have confidence everybody can make a shot that’s shooting the ball on our team so we just gotta keep believing it.” pic.twitter.com/3XldgTlNsY
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) June 11, 2024
The Mavericks have had two of their worst offensive performances of the postseason in the two opening losses in this series. They failed to score 100 points or more in both games and have only converted 13-53 (24.5%) of their three-point efforts. Doncic is the only Maverick to have hit multiple threes this series, with everyone else not having hit more than one.
Hopefully, the team can have a better shooting performance at home in Games 3 and 4. Doncic has been doing what’s expected of him, averaging 31.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists through the first two games. He has been horrible from the free throw line in the opening two games, going 6-13 (46.2%).
Luka has also been a defensive liability, but that could be more because of the injuries he’s playing through and his offensive burden with no other Maverick showing up offensively in this series.
The Mavericks have relied on their defense to get them to the NBA Finals, with that defense able to challenge the Celtics for vast stretches of the game. But with the offensive talent the Celtics have, there’s no way the Mavs can get enough stops during a game to seal the win with a bad offensive performance.
Luka Doncic Is Playing Through Multiple Injuries
Luka Doncic has put his body on the line for the Mavericks in this Playoff run, playing through a series of injuries to bring the Mavs to the Finals. Doncic suffered a knee sprain in Game 2 of the first round, with subsequent injuries to the ankle and back also failing to keep the Slovenian guard on the bench.
Doncic gave a very cryptic update about his injury before Game 3, assuring everyone that he will be good without divulging the details.
“I feel good. I don’t want to give any more details, but I feel good.”
It was quickly confirmed by Tim MacMahon and Mallika Andrews of ESPN that Doncic has been receiving pain-numbing injections to deal with the back injury he picked up after game 1 of the NBA Finals.
“Luka Doncic received a pain-killing injection before Game 2 to numb the area of his thoracic contusion, sources tell Mallika Andrews and me. The expectation is that Doncic will get another shot before Game 3.”
Doncic really needs to stay on the court for the Mavericks to have even the slightest chance of winning four out of the next five games in the NBA Finals. He’s averaged 29.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 8.5 assists this Playoff run, proving to everyone once again why he’s considered among the best players in the world, if not the best.
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