The Oklahoma City Thunder doesn’t seem to have a day off this post-season! Their 37-8 record at home had fans confident in their ability to grab a Game 1 win against the Dallas Mavericks. But considering the form that Luka Doncic and Co. have been in, no one could’ve expected them to be blown out 95-117. Among many other factors, Doncic’s subpar shooting display hurt the Mavericks. However, he wants to forget tonight’s performance and move on to the next one.
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The Slovenian superstar has been playing through several injuries. During the first-round series against the LA Clippers, he did not just have congestion but also hurt his knee. Tonight, while the 6ft 7” guard didn’t seem to be unwell, he was visibly in pain due to the sprain in his right knee.
Luka dismissed tonight’s performance and wanted to divert all his attention to Game 2. He simply claimed that he needed to be better,
“Who cares, we lost. We just gotta move on to the next one. I gotta be better, we gotta be better.”
Luka after shooting 6/19 from the field:
"Who cares, we lost. We just gotta move on to the next one. I gotta be better, we gotta be better."pic.twitter.com/QFWUeWv7KL
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 8, 2024
Despite the pain, Doncic played for almost 41 minutes. Forcing himself to don the jersey didn’t help the team as the MVP finalist struggled from the floor. In the 22-point loss, he recorded his worst performance of the 2023-2024 campaign – 19 points and 5 turnovers on 6/19 FG, 1 of 8 from the 3-point line, and 6/10 FT, per NBA.com.
Luka has been able to redeem himself after a horrific shooting night. In this season, Doncic recorded 32% FG or worse on five occasions, per ESPN. The five-time All-Star bounced back in each subsequent game, averaging a staggering 34.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 8.6 assists on 50.3% FG.
Clearly, Shai-Gilgeous Alexander and Co. can expect him to come out with all guns blazing on Thursday. However, the defensive prowess displayed by Lu Dort, throughout the playoffs, will lead the Mavs fans to wonder whether or not Doncic would be able to stuff the stat sheet. Mark Daigneault will be confident enough in the OKC to protect their home court and go up 2-0 in the series because of his team’s sublime form.
![Josh Green may have played significant minutes during Game 6, but it was his postgame interview that caught all the attention. While being interviewed by ESPN Australia, Green had a hilarious conversation about Luka Doncic that hilariously disclosed the latter’s fear of spiders and snakes. The Australian even revealed he insisted that Doncic visit his home country, but the latter immediately declined. During the interview, Josh announced that the 6ft 7” guard would be visiting Australia in the upcoming offseason. With Doncic noticeably surprised, an amusing back-and-forth immediately ensued. Luka: “ESPN Australia!” Green: “Luka is coming to Australia this offseason...” Luka: “No there's too many spiders... I’m afraid of snakes and spiders” The five-time All-Star also claimed that Aussies didn’t “like” him. Luka: “They don’t like me.” Green: “They love you. I told him that everyone loves him in Australia but he doesn’t listen to me.” [per Kane Pitman] Josh Green and Luka Doncic just now. Luka: "ESPN Australia!" Green: "Luka is coming to Australia this offseason..." Luka: "No there's too many spiders..." Green: "I've seen none of Slovenia..probably a reason for that..." Luka: "We have no spiders..." It continued.... pic.twitter.com/YokuFVhakq — Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) May 19, 2024 There could be one potential reason for the crowd in Australia not “liking” him. During the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Luka rallied the Slovenian team to defeat Patty Mills and co. 91-80 in the second round of the tournament. Having already lost to Germany in the first round, the 11-point loss resulted in Australia’s elimination from the campaign. So, while Doncic may have only been doing his job, Australia does indeed have a reason to dislike the Slovenian superstar. That said, perhaps he shouldn't count out his chances of a peaceful visit to the country just yet. Luka Doncic could visit Australia due to his friendship with Kyrie Irving Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Kyrie Irving has been successful while playing FIBA tournaments, having won the 2010 FIBA Americans U18 Championship, the 2014 FIBA World Cup, and the 2016 Olympics. However, despite achieving all of these while representing Team USA, Irving is actually an Australian citizen. The Mavericks star moved to the USA at a young age after being born in Melbourne, Australia. On numerous occasions in his career, he has contemplated representing his birth nation. However, he claims that Coach K influenced his decision and eventually convinced him to play for Team USA instead. “I consider myself an international player even though I played on Team USA,” Irving told Fox Sports. “Team USA asked me to play for them when I was 17 or 18 ... I wanted to play for Australia, but it just didn't happen. Coach K wasn't going to let that happen either.” “I mean, he's Coach K. As a young fella, he definitely did tell me I had a chance to be a part of something bigger than myself and ultimately being the starting point guard on the US Olympic team.” Kyrie and his former coach (at Duke University) found success, winning gold medals in the FIBA World Cup and Olympics. Luka Doncic has often expressed his love for Kyrie, and vice-versa. Apart from lauding each other for the players that they are, they seem to be more proud of each other’s humble personalities. Considering that the two are so close on and off the court, there could be a possibility that Doncic can travel to Australia without receiving threats from the public for his hand in knocking them out of the World Cup. However, given his many fears, it's unlikely the Slovenian superstar ever considers taking the option.](https://cdn-wp.thesportsrush.com/2024/05/dc36b81e-untitled-design-2024-05-19t145959.456.jpg?format=auto&w=384&q=75)
