Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Luka: Slumping Mavs 'looking like we don't care'

Written by 
Published in Breaking News
Friday, 29 January 2021 23:27

Luka Doncic needed only one word to describe the state of the Dallas Mavericks after their seventh loss in nine games.

"Terrible," Doncic said Friday night after the Utah Jazz extended their winning streak to 11 games with a 120-101 rout of the visiting Mavs.

Asked to elaborate, Doncic expressed frustration with the poor effort the Mavs have often displayed recently. Dallas, which dropped to 8-11, has been defeated by double digits five times during the skid. The Mavs were dominated in both games of their trip to Utah despite the Jazz missing All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell because of a concussion.

"I never felt like this," said Doncic, who won championships with Real Madrid and the Slovenian national team before beginning his NBA career. "We've got to do something, because this is not looking good. We've got to step up and just talk to each other and play way better than this. It's mostly effort."

The Mavs' slump has coincided with a COVID-19 outbreak wreaking havoc on the team's rotation. Starting shooting guard Josh Richardson, starting forward Dorian Finney-Smith and backup center Dwight Powell returned after extended absences for the two losses against the Jazz. Power forward Maxi Kleber, who was starting before testing positive for the coronavirus, has yet to be cleared to play.

"It's just a tough stretch and we've got to play through it," said Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, whose team finishes a back-to-back at home Saturday against the Phoenix Suns. "Right now, it's about sticking together and fighting our way through this thing."

Doncic, a preseason MVP favorite who is averaging 27.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.6 assists per game, criticized the Mavs' effort after both losses against the Jazz.

"I would say right now it's looking like we don't care, honestly, if we win games or not," Doncic said. "We just [need] more energy, more effort, dive for every ball, box out, everything. There's a lot of things we could improve, and I know we will. I know we will, and that's all that matters."

Utah outrebounded Dallas by 14 on Wednesday and by 16 on Friday. Jazz All-Star center Rudy Gobert was especially dominant during the two-game set, following up a 29-point, 20-rebound performance with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the second game. Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis, who is depended on to be Doncic's co-star, averaged 14.5 points and seven rebounds during the two losses, in which Dallas was outscored by a combined 42 points in his 57 minutes.

Porzingis certainly had plenty of company among Mavs players performing poorly. Dallas' largest deficit was 25 on Wednesday and 30 on Friday.

"We've just got to be real with ourselves," Mavs reserve forward James Johnson said. "Sometimes you don't hold yourself accountable, sometimes teammates don't hold you accountable, and we can't have that."

The Jazz, who have the NBA's best record at 15-4, have an average margin of victory of 15.6 points during their 11-game winning streak, the longest in the league this season. Utah has trailed in the fourth quarter for a total of only 57 seconds during the 11-game run.

"They're a great team," Carlisle said, "and we've just got to stay in the fight here."

Read 333 times

Soccer

Atlético chief pans Super League: 'About one club'

Atlético chief pans Super League: 'About one club'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsAtlético Madrid chief executive Miguel Ángel Gil Marin has criticis...

Man City's aura of invincibility has been shattered, and even Haaland is affected

Man City's aura of invincibility has been shattered, and even Haaland is affected

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMANCHESTER, England -- There was a moment during stoppage time at t...

What's gone wrong for Pep Guardiola and Man City after 499 games together

What's gone wrong for Pep Guardiola and Man City after 499 games together

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsIt is perhaps symbolic that, as he approaches his 500th match in ch...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Malone: Kings showed 'no class' in firing Brown

Malone: Kings showed 'no class' in firing Brown

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsORLANDO, Fla. -- Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone didn't hold ba...

Nurkic, Marshall trade swings, among 3 ejected

Nurkic, Marshall trade swings, among 3 ejected

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPHOENIX -- Suns center Jusuf Nurkic and Mavericks forwards Naji Mar...

Baseball

Bregman, Buehler team up for big Santa Anita win

Bregman, Buehler team up for big Santa Anita win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsARCADIA, Calif. -- All-Stars Alex Bregman and Walker Buehler have t...

Sources: Hernández, Dodgers agree to $66M deal

Sources: Hernández, Dodgers agree to $66M deal

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsOutfielder Teoscar Hernández and the Los Angeles Dodgers are in agr...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated