After dropping Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks were defeated once again as the squad headed back to Dallas trailing the series, 0-2. The Boston Celtics came out on top once again, defeating Luka Doncic and Co. with a 105-98 final score. A disheartening loss, Doncic pins the blame for the team’s loss onto himself while talking to the media in the post-game press conference.
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Luka Doncic was arguably the best player on offense in Game 2 of the NBA Finals while considering the Celtics players as well. Despite his 32-point triple-double, Doncic narrowed the cause of tonight’s loss to his turnovers and free-throw shooting.
As per StatMuse, Doncic paired 11 rebounds, and 11 assists to go along with his 32-point performance. He also had 4 steals for the game but the problem was his 8 turnovers and 4-8 shooting from the free-throw line.
“My turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game. I’ve got to do way better in those two categories.”
Luka Doncic: “My turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game. I’ve got to do way better in those two categories.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 10, 2024
As per previous injury reports, Luka Doncic may not have been 100% healthy during the team’s matchup with the Celtics. Prior to Game 2’s tip-off, Doncic was listed on the Mavericks’ injury report where he was eventually downgraded from probable to questionable.
The Slovenian basketball star has dealt with soreness throughout the postseason. Yet, he has continued to play at a high level despite his ailments. The 6’7 guard’s last injury report listed soreness in his knee and ankle. It will be interesting to note Doncic’s injury report for the third game of the series, given his past troubles.
No help for Luka Doncic
The Dallas Mavericks only seem to have Luka Doncic playing like a star for the team. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Kyrie Irving. Facing his former team in the NBA Finals, fans were eager to see Irving’s performance against the Boston Celtics.
So far, Irving has been little help to the team on either end of the floor. Irving followed his 12-point night with a 16-point performance in Game 2. His 6 assists and 2 rebounds were not of much help to the team, especially with his 7-18 & 0-3 shooting numbers from the field and three.
Irving, surprisingly, does not seem to be in his element as Jrue Holiday and Derrick White’s efforts have clamped him down on defense. Not just the guards but even the bigs, when switched out, have been able to contain Kyrie’s explosiveness effectively.
Now, as the two teams head back to Dallas for games 3 & 4, this next matchup becomes an ‘all or nothing’ game for the Mavericks. If the Mavs take Game 3, the team does have a sustainable chance to win. However, no team in NBA history has made a comeback after trailing 0-3 in the NBA Finals, so the odds will be stacked against the Dallas Mavericks.
