It was not Luka Doncic‘s night time. The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder gave no choice to the Dallas Mavericks (117-95) and went forward within the Western Convention semifinals (1-0) in a foul recreation of the previous Actual Madrid participant, who ended annoyed on and off the courtroom earlier than the plain inferiority of his workforce and particularly for his efficiency, properly beneath his stage, often superlative.
The Thunder‘s glorious protection minimized his manufacturing like no different workforce had performed this season, with a suffocating Lu Dort that hardly left him any openings, and when the Slovenian discovered them, he bumped into Chet Holmgren, who got here to his teammate’s assist.
Luka Doncic needs the ball, OKC Thunder fan throws it away #NBAPlayoffs#nbapic.twitter.com/z4NOOMfPUY
? David S (@SJdsierra) May 8, 2024
The Slovenian completed with 19 factors in a really erratic capturing sequence (5/11 t2, 1/8 t3 and 6/10 tl), 6 rebounds, 9 assists and 5 turnovers.
A fan’s disrespect
Though one of many losses that angered him probably the most was the one attributable to a Thunder fan sitting within the entrance row who dropped the ball at one level in the course of the recreation.
Luka went to select it up shortly and requested the fan together with his arms, however he ignored his request and threw the ball on the facet away from his attain, inflicting the desperation of the Slovenian, who raised his arms as if to say “however properly, why are you doing this to me”.
Upset with a journalist’s query
It was the primary disagreeable second of probably the most human Doncic on and off the courtroom.
As a result of he, often calm whether or not his workforce wins or loses, bought offended later within the press room with a journalist who requested him in regards to the causes that had led him to overlook so many photographs within the recreation.
Luka didn’t take this questioning properly and answered tersely, with a critical tone and a straight face.
“Who cares about that,” he replied. “We misplaced. We simply have to maneuver on to the subsequent recreation. I’ve to be higher, all of us need to be higher. They’re an important workforce, in protection and in assault, so it is not going to be straightforward,” he added.
And that was celebrated by the Thunder and their coach, Mark Daigneault, who highlighted Lu Dort‘s nice protection on him.
“He is only a warrior. He takes the juice out of his opponents each night time. Going up towards Doncic is admittedly robust, he is an important participant who did not have his finest photographs tonight. He’ll play higher than this. Lu made it robust on him. I believed our workforce made it robust on him.”
However he would not wish to get complacent: “I feel we will anticipate them to play higher than they did tonight,” he added. “The very last thing we will do is underestimate this opponent.”
