Heading into Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals, Luka Doncic was interviewed and asked to share his thoughts regarding his current mindset. 2 games into the Finals, the Dallas Mavericks find themselves down 2-0 to Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics.
That clearly puts a significant amount of pressure on the Mavericks in Game 3. After all, failing to win would all but ensure the Celtics winning a championship this season. After all, there has been no team in NBA history to come back and win after going down 0-3.
All that said, Luka Doncic has been playing at an elite level in his first-ever trip to the Finals. During a recent interview, he was asked about his experience in the NBA Finals when compared to the earlier stages of his career overseas. With that being said, let us take a closer look at what Doncic had to say.
Luka Doncic assures fans that his knee has gotten better
Anyone who watched Luka Doncic in the first 2 games of the Finals might assume that he is perfectly healthy and in top condition. However, that is not the case. Doncic sustained some form of impact to his knee when taking a charge from Jaylen Brown and was even listed as questionable prior to the start of Game 2.
Therefore, he first addressed his knee before beginning his interview and assured fans from across the world that it was good and healing well. Doncic was then made to recall his time in the EuroLeague Finals and asked to compare that to the NBA Finals.
“I would say it’s different. Just being 18 and 25 is a big difference. It’s just different games. Here you play first to 4. In the EuroLeague it’s just one game. So it’s way different. I wouldn’t say that game prepared me for now...”
Although Luka remains confident in his abilities as well as that of his team, there is no denying that being in the NBA Finals is a new and daunting experience for him. Moreover, the only other teammate on his roster with a significant amount of experience with playing in the Finals has not stepped up to the task so far.Kyrie Irving is not happy with how he has played so far
Upon watching the Dallas Mavericks play the first 2 games of the Finals, fans have already begun to claim that Luka is a one-man show who gets no help from his teammates. After all, Kyrie Irving has played quite poorly over the past 2 games. Not only has Irving been inefficient, but he has also turned over the ball a great deal and made uncharacteristic mistakes in Boston.
On a positive note, Kyrie did not avoid accountability and accepted that he had not played well during the first 2 games. Irving even admitted to having a sense of frustration over not playing well and letting his team down. However, he also reminded himself that the frustration must not be allowed to seep into the remainder of the Finals. Fans are left wondering how the Mavericks will perform in a must-win Game 3.