Now, after the game Sunday, the Mavericks starter Luka Dončić took on much of the blame for the loss. Let’s listen to what he had to say:
Luka Dončić: You know, at the end of the day, we’ve got to make some more shots. You know, I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost us a game. So I got to do way better in those two categories.
But at the end of the day, we got to make shots to win the game.
You know, I gotta ask, though, how much is Dončić just being hard on himself? Is he really to blame for the Mavericks current position? That’s overstating it, don’t you think?
Michael Marks: I do think it’s overstating it. I think it’s the right thing to say if you’re the best player on the team and you’re trying to set that kind of example, but I don’t think it’s necessarily grounded in reality.
Dončić is the reason that they have been in this series at all – his shooting, his passing, his ability to control the game and its pace. In fact, Kyrie Irving, his costar on the Mavericks, said as much when asked about Dončić’s performance and how it related to the team’s overall success in the press conference:
Kyrie Irving: You know, it’s on all of us, man. I’m pretty sure if you hear what everybody has to say, they’ll say that they can do something better.
You know, one of the big reasons for the Celtics’ success so far has been the play of their center, Kristaps Porziņģis, who used to play in Dallas of all places. Tell us about the sort of impact he’s had for the Celts.
Michael Marks: I think he’s been their most impactful player. He’s certainly not their best player. But at 7-foot-4, a guy who can guard the rim and shoot the three the way he did… You know, when he first came into the league, they called him “the Unicorn” because so few players were able to do what he did.
Now he’s developed – he’s an archetype unto himself in the league. And even though he’s young, he’s had a real roller coaster story of a career and people have written him off. And now he’s just a monster.
He’s making shots. He’s making it very difficult for the Mavericks to run the offense that they want. And it’s objectively a remarkable redemption story for a guy who’s had a lot of problems with injuries and self-doubt, frankly, in his career.
Interesting. All right, so Game 3 on Wednesday in Dallas. I guess you’ve got the home advantage. Can the Mavericks still win this series?
Michael Marks: Certainly. Mavericks fans will be quick to note that a few years ago, when they played the Phenix Suns in a series, they were down 2-0, and they came back to win that one and advance to the Western Conference Finals.
Now there are very, very few players from that team remaining on this one. Luka, of course, is a principle character. But, you know, this team has fought all season long. They will continue to do so.
Nothing’s impossible. We will watch and find out.