The Dallas Mavericks lost their NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Oklahoma City Thunder 104-118 tonight. And a former Golden State Warrior believes it was because of Luka Doncic’s below par production. After the game, Quinn Cook took to X to say that Luka is not worthy of being compared to Jayson Tatum because of how he abandons the team when he is needed the most.
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Over the years, the two stars have been compared as the best of their generation. Cook feels Doncic is not even close to the Boston Celtics power forward. In a now-deleted post, he wrote, “Luka one of my favorite players ever but I watched him quit on his team tonight. Stop comparing that man to Tatum. It’s not close.”
Former NBA player Quinn Cook says Luka Doncic “quit on his team tonight” following the Dallas Mavericks loss to the OKC Thunder. 👀
[via. @QCook323] pic.twitter.com/c8bfiZQ7k0
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) December 11, 2024
Luka was nearly ineffective in the game because of Luguentz Dort. The Thunder star was all over him and played a key role in restricting Luka who eventually managed 16 points with 11 rebounds and five assists. The Mavs star was underwhelming, shooting 5/15 from the field and 2/8 from the three-point line, along with six turnovers.
This is not the first time that Luka has performed below par. However, to claim that he quits on his team might be a stretch.
It could be the case that he was having a bad day on the floor. However, the magnitude of the loss means that there is not much left for Doncic to argue his case.
Luka praised Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Even though Doncic lost the game, he appreciated good competition as always. During the post-game presser, the 25-year-old praised Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, outlining how the guard is a great scorer, who also inspires his teammates.
"It's amazing to play against a guy like this."
Luka with high praise for SGA 💯 pic.twitter.com/R4s31Tv6Fi
— NBA (@NBA) December 11, 2024
“It’s amazing to play against a guy like this. The battles…it’s fun and he is an amazing player.” Luka said.
Shai finished the game with 39 points, eight rebounds, five assists, three steals, and a block. He shot 15/23 from the field and 5/9 from the three-point line.