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, Mavs avoid sweep: 'Still believe we can win'

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Tuesday, 24 May 2022 23:58

DALLAS -- Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic doesn't necessarily see any honor in avoiding being swept in the Western Conference finals. He remains focused on beating the Golden State Warriors in the series, regardless of the long odds.

The Mavs are attempting to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, a feat 146 others have failed to accomplish. Dallas took a step in that direction with a 119-109 win in Tuesday's Game 4 at the American Airlines Center.

"I mean, I still believe we can win, you know," Doncic said. "Swept or not swept, in the end, if you lose, you lose. Don't matter how many we win. We have to go game by game. We're going to believe until the end."

Dallas has already pulled off one shocker in this postseason, rallying from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to eliminate the No. 1 overall seed Phoenix Suns in the conference semifinals. The Mavs wrapped up that series by routing the Suns by 33 points, the biggest blowout win by a road team in a Game 7 since 1948.

Doncic, the 23-year-old guard who was named first-team All-NBA for the third straight season before Thursday's game, added to his list of impressive performances in potential elimination games with a 30-point, 14-rebound, nine-assist outing against the Warriors.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, he joined Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history to score at least 30 points in each of their first five potential elimination games.

"I just want to win the game and that's it," Doncic said. "We got more to do, you know. This is nothing. We got three more."

The Mavs built a 29-point lead after three quarters in large part by shredding the Warriors' zone, which Dallas coach Jason Kidd called "a compliment ... because they can't guard us one-on-one."

Dallas was 19-of-36 from 3-point range through three quarters, at which point Golden State coach Steve Kerr pulled his starters.

"We weren't alert tonight defensively," said Kerr, whose team has failed in its first closeout attempt in all three series this postseason. "We weren't sharp. And I thought we let them kind of get into a groove, and once a team like that gets into a 3-point groove, it's tough to get them out of it."

But the game wasn't without some drama, and not just from the leak in the roof that resulted in a 16-minute rain delay after halftime. The Warriors' reserves sliced the Mavs' lead to single digits with 3:23 remaining, leading Kerr to put starters Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins back on the court after a Dallas timeout.

Doncic dunked off a feed from Jalen Brunson on the next possession, bumping the lead back to 10, and the Warriors never got any closer.

"There's no panic," Kidd said. "We had a pretty big lead. They had to make a decision. They brought their group back in and couldn't get it done."

Now, the series will return to San Francisco for Thursday's Game 5.

"Everybody in that locker room feels like we have more basketball to play," said Mavs forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who had 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. "We just wanted to get the win by any means necessary."

Read 195 times

Soccer

Cancelo: People sent death wishes after Barça loss

Cancelo: People sent death wishes after Barça loss

EmailPrintJoão Cancelo has revealed the extent of the social media abuse he received following Barce...

Utd hire Wilcox as tech. director in Ratcliffe reboot

Utd hire Wilcox as tech. director in Ratcliffe reboot

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsManchester United have confirmed the appointment of Jason Wilcox as...

With Man City reeling, Arsenal and Liverpool face moment of truth in Premier League title race

With Man City reeling, Arsenal and Liverpool face moment of truth in Premier League title race

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsArsenal and Liverpool have their own problems right now as they att...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Clips fined for violating injury reporting rules

Clips fined for violating injury reporting rules

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- The LA Clippers were fined $25,000 by the NBA on Friday...

Lillard practices fully, Giannis still out of live drills

Lillard practices fully, Giannis still out of live drills

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- Damian Lillard practiced fully but Giannis Antetokounm...

Baseball

Rangers option rookie Leiter after shaky debut

Rangers option rookie Leiter after shaky debut

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsATLANTA -- Texas Rangers rookie right-hander Jack Leiter was option...

Grading MLB's City Connect uniforms

Grading MLB's City Connect uniforms

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsUniform changes can be polarizing. Some sports fans like tradition....

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