Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks’ perennial MVP candidate, often draws criticism for his defensive game. In Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, he aimed to change that narrative — but it backfired spectacularly. Instead of his usual laid-back defense, Doncic got more involved, but this newfound intensity led to foul trouble, a critical turning point in the Mavericks’ 106-99 loss at the American Airlines Center.
Doncic’s attempts to be more aggressive on defense culminated in his sixth foul, a controversial blocking call while trying to stop Jaylen Brown’s drive. This disqualification came with 4:57 left in the game, at a moment when the Mavericks were clawing their way back from a 21-point deficit. With Doncic on the bench, Boston seized control, pushing their lead to 3-0 in the series.
In his postgame remarks, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd highlighted the dilemma Doncic faces: “He’s got to be able to guard and understand that we’re there to protect him and help him if he does get beat. … They are putting him in every pick-and-roll and iso.” His comments underscored the team’s strategy to surround Doncic with a strong shell defense, yet it was not enough to offset his absence in crunch time.
Kyrie Irving, the other star on the Mavericks’ roster, acknowledged the challenge but maintained hope. “It’s not the first time a team has tried to target Luka on the defensive end. So for us, we’re just trying to put a great shell defense around not only him, but the rest of the team.”
Jaylen Brown of the Celtics, who was directly involved in the critical foul, praised Doncic’s offensive prowess but noted, “He’s still been able to pretty much get to whatever he wants.” However, Doncic’s struggle to manage his fouls ultimately hampered Dallas’s rally efforts.
The critical turning point was the Mavericks’ 20-2 run before Doncic’s disqualification. Kidd’s strategic timeout at 5:25, and another by Boston’s Joe Mazzulla, did little to sustain Dallas’s momentum. The Mavs came within one point, but Boston’s timely scoring on four of their next five possessions sealed their victory.
Doncic’s frustrations with the officiating were evident in his postgame comments, where he motioned with his palms out and expressed disbelief over his six fouls. “I mean, I don’t know. We couldn’t play physical,” he said. “Basically I’m like this [motions with palms out]. C’mon, man.”
As Dallas faces a swift turnaround for Game 4 on Friday, the team must address not only Doncic’s foul issues but also their overall game strategy to avoid elimination. The pressure is on for Doncic and his teammates to regroup and keep their Finals hopes alive.
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