Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Luka Doncic Admits Mavs Are Not A Good Clutch Team And Reveals He’s Still Adjusting To Playing Off-Ball
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Dallas Mavericks News & Analysis > Luka Doncic Admits Mavs Are Not A Good Clutch Team And Reveals He’s Still Adjusting To Playing Off-Ball

Luka Doncic Admits Mavs Are Not A Good Clutch Team And Reveals He’s Still Adjusting To Playing Off-Ball

Luka Doncic says the Mavericks are not a good clutch team this season and that he is still figuring out how to play off the ball.

Gautam Varier
Nov 13, 2024
6 Min Read
Share

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks faltered down the stretch in their 120-117 loss to the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on Tuesday night. Close losses have become a bit of a theme for the Mavericks this season and Luka Doncic touched on that problem and some other issues during his postgame press conference, via Grant Afseth.

Luka Doncic on the Mavericks’ struggles in close games:

“I think last year we were a very, very good clutch team. This year, not so good so far. We’ve lost two-straight by two or three points, so we just gotta work on closing out games.”

Luka Doncic on the Mavericks’ shot selection in the closing stages:

“I think it could’ve been way better. The shot clock was going down, so I was kinda trying to get to my spot, and then on the last shot I was trying to look if somebody was open, so I saw there’s three, four seconds to go, so I just took the shot.”

Luka Doncic on the facets of playing off the ball that he’s still getting adjusted to:

“Just overall. Just playing without the ball. Just all of it.”

It is bizarre just how much things have changed from last season for the Mavericks. They were 23-9 in clutch games in the 2023-24 campaign, with their 71.9% win rate being the second-best in the league. If it was a close game, you knew the Mavericks were going to come out on top a lot more often than not.

Now, though, following this loss to the Warriors, the Mavericks have dropped to 1-5 in clutch games in 2024-25. Their 16.7% win rate is the second-worst in the league, with only the Milwaukee Bucks (0%) being worse off. 

In this contest with the Warriors, the Mavericks seemed to be in control when they were up 112-105 with just under four minutes remaining. What followed, was some Stephen Curry magic and an offensive disasterclass from the visitors.

Curry scored 12 points in the final four minutes of this game while the Mavericks, as a team, managed just five. Their offensive execution wasn’t good enough as they committed some costly turnovers and took some pretty ill-advised shots.

Doncic, who had 31 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and three steals on the night, was the one who took the last of those bad shots. The 25-year-old had a chance to tie the game in the closing stages but instead of trying to get a good look, he attempted a very difficult three-pointer and badly missed.

VIDEO:
Luka Doncic misses game-tying 3 , Warriors win pic.twitter.com/Vavdz7Bs6K

— 3030 (@jose3030) November 13, 2024

That shot wasn’t even close to going in. The Mavericks had plenty of time to run a good play there and didn’t do so. Doncic just played hero ball and the team paid the price for it. This is the second time in two games that the Slovenian has taken a bad shot in a big moment. 

Against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night, Doncic launched a three-pointer from near the logo when the Mavericks were up 120-118 with just over a minute remaining.

One of the stupidest shots I’ve ever seen watching basketball with and without the context of what was happening pic.twitter.com/DXv2HRa6oR

— Aadan (@JMurrayWrld) November 11, 2024

Kyrie Irving was on 43 points at that stage and had scored 16 in the fourth quarter alone. For Doncic to take that shot instead of trying to find a way to get Irving the ball was just inexcusable. Sure, the Nuggets were trying to deny him the ball, but it’s not exactly an impossible task to still get it to him.

These two shots in some ways sum up Doncic’s start to this 2024-25 season. The five-time All-Star was the MVP favorite for many coming into the campaign but hasn’t been nearly as impactful as he was expected to be. 

Doncic is averaging 28.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game in 2024-25 but is shooting just 41.9% from the field and 32.1% from beyond the arc. He needs to be a lot more efficient and just needs to start playing better, in general, to dig his team out of this hole they find themselves in.

Doncic will look to make amends for this loss when the Mavericks take on the Utah Jazz at Delta Center on Thursday at 9 PM IST. I certainly wouldn’t bet against him and the Mavs coming away with a win in that one.

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Dallas Mavericks ArchiveLuka Doncic
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByGautam Varier
Follow:
Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
Previous Article Jason Kidd Evaluates Mavericks’ Loss Against Warriors
Next Article Draymond Green On How Hard It Is To Keep In Touch With Klay Thompson: “It’s A Very One-Sided Thing”
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

Oct 5, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Doncic (77) watches the action from the bench during a game against the Golden State Warriors in the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

Luka Doncic Fuels Lakers Team Bonding; Hosts Porsche Driving Experience Outing

October 7, 2025
LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

JJ Redick And Austin Reaves React To LeBron James’ Viral “Retirement” Ad: “You Guys Are Idiots”

October 7, 2025
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks News & Analysis

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Days In Milwaukee “Numbered,” According To NBA Insider

October 7, 2025
LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis

LeBron James Expected To Miss Preseason As He Ramps Up For Opening Night

October 7, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?