By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Dallas Mavericks lost Game 4 against the Utah Jazz by a slight despite Luka Doncic returning to the roster. However, the mere fact that Doncic has been feeling good on the court and delivered a 30-10-4 display is enough to keep the Mavs’ thoughts positive.
The Slovenian was happy to be back, after suffering a strained calf in the last game of the regular season.
“I’m just excited to be back. I had fun out there, just having fun playing basketball. What could be better than in the playoffs? The playoffs are the most exciting, so I’m just glad to be back,” he said and admitted that he was ‘edgy’ about the calf early on.
“At the beginning, I was just thinking about it a little bit. I think in the middle of the game I kind of forgot about it.”
He certainly showed his presence on the floor as the Jazz were focused on forcing him to pass the ball instead of take the shots himself, especially so on the final possession when he was doubled and Spencer Dinwiddie missed the potential game-winning three.
“Make somebody else shoot, to be honest. Doncic hits tough shots. That’s what you want. Dinwiddie hit like three of those same shots during the season, so when he shot it I was a little nervous because I’ve seen him hit those shots. But at the end of the day, he’s shooting over Rudy Gobert, and it’s tough,” Donovan Mitchell said.
Rudy Gobert, who scored the actual game-winner off the alley-oop by Mitchell, praised Doncic, explaining that the Mavs star doesn’t need to be fit hundred percent to impact the game.
“I mean, he’s Luka. He doesn’t need to go fast to impact the game, and he impacted the game a lot, especially down the stretch. He made some big plays. That’s why he is who he is.”