The Mavericks’ games of late have not been as fun as Dallas fans would have expected them to be after getting Kyrie Irving in their already great backcourt. Luka Doncic took care of it on Tuesday as he took on his former coach’s Pacers.
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The Mavericks were 1-4 in their last five games coming into this one and trailed the game by 10 points in the first half. However, they went on a 20-7 run in the third quarter which is when Doncic did something outrageously funny which did not sit well with Rick Carlisle.
With Mavs on a 20-7 run, Luka Doncic just turned to Rick Carlisle and motioned for him to take a timeout.
— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) March 1, 2023
Luka Doncic trolls his former coach Rick Carlisle mid-game
During a play in 3rd quarter, at which time Mavs were trailing the Pacers 78-76, Luka while driving to the basket, found a wide-open Reggie Bullock in the corner who converted the 3-pointer to give Dallas a 1-point lead.
Just after completing this play Doncic hilariously told his former coach to call a timeout and sent fans in the building and on social media into a frenzy.
Luka and the Mavs are about to get beat by the Pacers. Rick Carlisle used to coach Dallas and it seems he and Luka didn’t get along. Here’s Luka mimicking Rick calling a TO after he scored 😂. pic.twitter.com/bfFfipJoH3
— Austin (@AustinPlanet) March 1, 2023
Luka Dončić told Rick Carlisle and his coaching staff to take a time out after that last Bullock three during the Mavs run lol 😂
Pacers timeout
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) March 1, 2023
Luka Doncic just looked toward Rick Carlisle and suggested he call a timeout. Carlisle took his advice.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 1, 2023
And took it perfection did Carlisle. The Pacers made a comeback and did not let Mavericks get away after putting a stop to that 20-7 run.
Although the Mavs won 3/4 quarters in the game and the Pacers couldn’t make a single shot for the last 6 minutes in the game, Carlisle and Co’s smart work and the opponent’s inefficiency and mistakes won them the game. Irony at its best.
Rick and Luka’s relationship
The relationship between the two went sour after Carlisle and Mavs management traded Dennis Smith Jr. back in 2019 without their young superstar Doncic giving a thumbs up to it. The now Charlotte guard had become Luka’s best friend in the Slovenian’s first year in the league.
Doesn’t this make this ante by Doncic today even more hysterical? After all, Irving must be having some effect on his new teammate. If only Doncic’s team won the game, this would have been really sweet.
Rick on the other hand just had good things to say for Doncic, Irving, and the new-look Mavs before the game.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle says “nobody” is going to want to play the Mavericks with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic, and has lot of confidence in a strong finish:
“They’re great. Nobody’s going to want to play these guys. Nobody. Dallas has a way of getting things worked out… https://t.co/I996sunsI5 pic.twitter.com/wBAEh0k9id
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) March 1, 2023
