SUMMARY
- Despite recording a triple-double, Luka Doncic struggled to shoot from deep range going 1-9 attempts.
- Doncic acknowledged Kyrie Irving's leadership while taking blame for their Game 4 loss.
It was a tough run for the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 and their All-Star duo did everything they could to stay alive in the game. Despite having a triple-double, Luka Doncic struggled to get shots up shooting only 10 of 24 from the field and 1-9 from the three-point line. However, Dallas overcame a 31-point deficit with the help of Kyrie Irving.
Kyrie Irving is the most special finisher in NBA History pic.twitter.com/hXNiVWa30X
— Ishan Ghosh (@ishanghosh824) April 28, 2024
Following the game, the 2016 NBA Champion addressed Doncic’s deep-range slump saying, “I know he wants to play well, and I know he wants to make a bigger impact than he is doing now, even though he’s almost averaging a triple-double for the series.” Doncic finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the game. This was supposed to be a tighter game for the Mavericks considering Kawhi Leonard was sidelined for Game 4.
Luka Doncic gives an honest analysis of his role alongside Kyrie Irving
It takes a true leader to know where he and his team suffer, and Luka Doncic took the fall for failing to show up. During the post-game press conference, Doncic said, “I just got to help him more. I feel like I’m feeling him down, so I got to be there, I got to help him more. He’s giving everything he has. He’s been amazing for us the whole series.” Irving completed the game with a spectacular 40-point game.
Doncic also critiqued his defense on the LA Clippers saying, “I was in foul trouble. We said we tried to leave not Harden shooting threes… I was just trying not to give him threes. But obviously, it wasn’t good. Especially me.”
The Mavericks nearly brought home a victory during the fourth quarter. With 4 minutes left on the game clock, Doncic somehow made a 26-foot three-point jump shot to tie the game at 98. The LA Clippers did a great job not giving Doncic easy looks while Irving continued to go on a spree. James Harden, who is a tactful finisher at the rim drew a few fouls and helped the Clippers get a lead, ultimately forcing the Mavericks to give up a win.
Luka Doncic addresses a lingering knee issue
Ahead of Game 4, the Mavericks listed Luka Doncic as questionable due to knee soreness. This may have been a factor in the 25-year-old’s slump during the game. He addressed the lingering injury during the post-game press conference saying, “It’s hurting, obviously. But that shouldn’t be an excuse. Just came out sloppy, so we’ve got to do way better than that.”
Luka Doncic checked out and went to the locker room. He was bothered by something lower body related. pic.twitter.com/Jl79s2ox2M
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) April 27, 2024
Doncic continues to dominate the floor offensively averaging 29 points, 9.7 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in the postseason. Throughout the regular season, Doncic remained one of the top three scorers and managed to bag a scoring title. But interestingly, the Mavericks have emerged among the top defensive teams averaging a league-leading 7.7 blocks per game and ranking fourth in points allowed as a team.