With Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals only a few hours away from beginning, Luka Doncic engaged in an interview with Malika Andrews and discussed the current situation for the Dallas Mavericks. To the fans who have not been following the Finals this season, the Boston Celtics have dominated the Mavericks so far in this series and currently hold a 3-0 lead.
Given that no team in league history has successfully orchestrated a comeback after being down 0-3, things look more than a little grim for the Dallas Mavericks. During his recent interview with Malika Andrews, Luka Doncic discussed the flaws of his team’s playstyle and more on their matchup against the Boston Celtics. Since this should undoubtedly be a subject of interest, a closer look is required.
Luka Doncic also points out that the Mavericks’ offense is lacking greatly
After fouling out in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals, Luka Doncic was put under a lot of scrutiny and criticism. Some even went far enough to claim that he was a liability on the defensive end for the Mavericks and should be held accountable for their current predicament. In his interview with Malika Andrews, Doncic admitted to having made defensive mistakes but also pointed out that his team’s offense needs to be addressed.
“Yeah for sure. You know, they always going to talk about it but…I don’t think the biggest problem is our defense at this point. I think we scored 3 games under 100 points. I think that gives credit to Boston’s defense. But I think our offense is a little more problematic right now than defense..”
The Mavs star did not hesitate to praise his opponents for showcasing a high level of physicality and ability on the defensive end of the court. After all, none of the players on the Mavs have been doing well in this series with the exception of Luka and Kyrie. While Luka may be making a valid point, fans are left wondering how the Mavericks will address their issues in Game 4.
What should the Mavericks do to make this a competitive Finals series?
Given that no team has come back from being down 0-3, winning a single game at a time should be the primary focus for the Dallas Mavericks. Since Kristaps Porzingis is unlikely to return in the near future, Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively III will need to make the best of the situation and use their size and length to punish the Celtics.
Although Boston still has centers such as Al Horford or Xavier Tillman, Gafford, and Lively need to dominate the interior on offense and defense. That will allow for others such as PJ Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. to keep Tatum and Brown under control. This is the last chance for the Dallas Mavericks. If they are unable to win, they will go down in history as a team that got swept in the NBA Finals without putting up much of a fight.