DALLAS — Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic was physically drained, emotionally spent, immensely proud, and undeniably frustrated as he left the court of the American Airlines Center after an extraordinary and tumultuous game on Saturday night. Just one day after experiencing the joy of becoming a father for the first time, Doncic led a short-handed Dallas squad in a remarkable comeback, erasing a 24-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take the lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, despite Dallas’ historic 30-0 run and Doncic’s remarkable stat line of 36 points, 15 rebounds, and 18 assists, the Mavericks fell short, suffering a heartbreaking 126-120 loss to the Thunder.
“It was the happiest day of my life with the baby, but then today’s game was a big roller coaster, too,” said Doncic, who commemorated his daughter’s name, Gabriela, by writing it on one of his signature Jordan Luka 2 shoes. Despite the defeat, he acknowledged the tremendous effort put forth by his team, stating, “I’m so sad we didn’t win this game, but man, we gave a big, big effort.”
The Thunder quickly retaliated against the Mavs’ huge run, scoring 15 of the final 18 points in the game, including the pivotal last 10. In the final 87 seconds, Doncic committed two turnovers, one of which was a traveling violation that left him irate. “My view is it probably was a travel, but those travels happen about 20 times a game in my opinion,” he vented. “So, when there’s just a minute and a half left, if you’re going to call that travel for the first time in the game, you can’t do that. I don’t think so. But I think those travels happen a lot of times in one game, and the NBA doesn’t call them, so I was really surprised.”
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd refrained from commenting on the crucial traveling call, stating, “I haven’t had a chance to look at it, so I can’t comment. I can’t afford to get fined right now.”
Doncic’s frustration escalated further when Jalen Williams of the Thunder drove past him for the go-ahead basket with only 41 seconds remaining, a move that Doncic believed to be a walk. “So it pissed me off,” he admitted. Doncic, visibly upset, approached referee Mitchell Erwin after the game, resulting in a confrontation that was quickly diffused by another official and Mavericks staff members, preventing the situation from escalating any further. Doncic acknowledged that his frustration affected his concentration in the final minute of the game. Coming out of a timeout following Williams’ basket, Doncic’s inbounds pass was intercepted by Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who capitalized on the turnover with a transition layup. “That can’t happen,” Doncic acknowledged. “That probably lost us the game. The focus should be there, but I was a little bit exhausted.”
A Bittersweet Ending
The disappointing conclusion to the game overshadowed the extraordinary performance by Doncic, particularly considering the circumstances. Doncic revealed that he had only managed to get about four or five hours of sleep the previous night, which was the most he had slept in days. He even doubted his ability to handle his typical workload early in the first quarter. “Then I just told [Kidd], ‘I’m good. Let me go,'” Doncic explained, recognizing the importance of his dominance in order for the Mavs to have a chance at defeating the Thunder, given the absence of key players such as Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Doncic’s phenomenal effort included playing a career-high 46 minutes, with his only rest coming in the middle of the second quarter. He contributed to 81 points either by scoring or assisting, the most by any player in a game this season. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Doncic joined Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson as the only players in NBA history to record multiple games with at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists. Moreover, his 59th career triple-double tied him with Larry Bird for ninth place on the all-time list. During Dallas’ remarkable 30-0 run, Doncic accounted for all but three of the team’s points, scoring seven points and assisting on seven more.
“It was magic,” expressed Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively II, who had a breakout game himself, scoring a career-high 20 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and blocking 7 shots. Lively capitalized on Doncic’s exceptional play, capitalizing on three electrifying dunks off Doncic’s passes during the fourth-quarter surge.
Although the game ended with disappointment for Doncic and the Mavericks, it is crucial to acknowledge the unprecedented performance by the young superstar. Doncic’s ability to put forth a Herculean effort on the heels of a life-changing event is a testament to his resilience and dedication. However, there is much to learn from this defeat, particularly in managing frustration and maintaining focus during critical moments. The Mavericks will undoubtedly use this experience as a stepping stone for growth and improvement as they look ahead to future challenges.
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