On Friday, a courtside Mavericks fan had a front-row seat to his team’s collapse in Game 2. After holding a big lead in the first half, the Warriors stormed back to win the game and send Dallas home with a 2-0 series deficit.
Instead of bailing on the game or abandoning his team, the loyal Mavs fan was prepping his Instagram story with a show of support for his squad.
Obviously, the quote wasn’t pulled out of thin air. After losing Game 5 to the Phoenix Suns last round, it’s what Doncic said about his competitors, almost as a warning about what was to come:
“Everybody acting tough when they up,” said Luka.
Whatever pushed Luka and Dallas to those wins in the final two games, the comeback in that series has fans hopeful for a similar comeback in this one.
Game 3 tonight could very well make or break the season for Dallas — and you can bet Luka will come into it ready to talk and play his way back into the fold. Up or down, cold or hot, the superstar is never in short supply of confidence and never loses his competitive spirit:
“I think it’s still there. I think it’s always gonna be there,” Doncic said on trash talk. “In the NBA, there’s always talking… Especially in that Clippers’ playoffs, there was a lot of talking. For me that just makes the game fun. Guys that are competitive, I’m very competitive. I think it’s always gonna be there, especially in the playoffs, it just makes the game fun.”
The Mavs lost a huge opportunity in Game 2. Had they kept their double-digit lead, the series would be all tied up at 2 wins apiece with the next slate of games happening in Texas.
Instead, they are fighting from behind again, and this time against a far superior opponent. But if Luka can channel his inner LeBron and bring out the best in his teammates, the Mavericks still have a chance of making these Conference Finals competitive.
