The Dallas Mavericks find themselves in a tough spot in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. After a blowout loss in Game 1, the team was more competitive in Game 2, but the result was the same. Following another loss, their star, Luka Doncic, took onus for the team being unable to even up the series.
“I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game,” Luka Doncic said after the game. “So, I’ve got to do way better in those two categories.
“But at the end of the day, we’ve got to make shots to win the game.”
Doncic committed over half of the Mavericks turnovers by himself in the game, accounting for eight out of their 15. He accounted for half of their free throw misses as well, going 4-of-8 while the team was 16-of-24.
The Celtics took advantage of Doncic’s turnovers in the game, five of which were committed in the second half. Those five turnovers were converted into nine points for easy baskets in transition.
While Luka Doncic struggled in those two categories, he was excellent in others. He scored 32 points, shooting 12-of-21 from the field and 4-of-9 from 3-point range. The next highest-scoring Dallas Mavericks player was P.J. Washington with 17.
He also pulled down 11 rebounds and handed out 11 assists for an impressive triple-double. Luka Doncic is only the fourth player in NBA Playoff history to record a 30-point triple-double in an NBA Finals loss, joining LeBron James, Charles Barkley and Jerry West.
“He was great,” Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said of Doncic. “No matter what he says, that’s just who he is. He’s a leader. It’s not all on him. It’s a team. We win as a team, and we lose as a team. So, he put us in a position. He was really good tonight. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t get over the hump. I thought our defense was really, really good. We’ve just got to take care of the ball.”
It was a spirited effort by Luka Doncic, who did everything to help his team avoid falling into a 0-2 hole. He played 42 minutes in the game despite dealing with a thoracic contusion on top of the knee sprain he has battled all postseason.
With the series now shifting back to their homecourt, the Dallas Mavericks are hopeful that other players can step up around Luka Doncic. They certainly need more from Kyrie Irving, who has been a major disappointment through two games.
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