The 2024 NBA Playoffs have been a struggle at times for Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic. He suffered a knee sprain in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers and has been battling an illness. He didn't miss a game, but his performance wasn't at the level we're used to seeing.
The same thing happened in Game 1 of the Dallas Mavericks' Western Conference semifinal series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite losing 117-95, Luka Doncic struggled, hitting 6-of-19 from the field and 1-of-8 from 3-point range.
But something clicked Thursday night for Game 2. His first shot attempt of the night was a swish, setting the tone for what would turn out to be a big night for himself and his team. The Mavericks return to Dallas for Games 3 and 4 with strong momentum.
They won Game 2 119-110, evening the series at one win apiece. Luka Doncic was a driving force behind the success, posting 29 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block in 41 minutes, 11 seconds on the court.
“It was a mental issue for me,” Doncic said. “I think today was one of the most difficult matches I've had to play. I'm fighting there. I'll try to help as hard as I can. [the] The team wins just with my mentality. If you get off to a great start, the team will follow. ”
Doncic made 11 of 21 field goals, so it was nice to see his efficiency return. He made an impressive 5-of-8 3-point shot as Kyrie Irving found his shooting touch at the perfect time to shoot the ball on his off night.
Irving was 2-of-8 from the field but had 11 assists, tying a playoff career high. Some of those assists went to P.J. Washington, who tied Doncic with a team-high 29 points. He also had 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block.
“P.J. was great,” Doncic said. “We went to him on the first play. We've got to do that more. We've got to give him the ball more.”
The Dallas Mavericks hope to continue this momentum into Game 3 at home on Saturday afternoon. The game will tip off at 3:30pm ET.
