Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic. Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Former Mavs teammate defends Luka Doncic amid NBA Finals criticism

By Jeff Smith | Last updated Jun 14, 2024 9:58 AM ET

After fouling out in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, there's been no shortage of criticism for Luka Doncic's handling of it and his defensive play. But the 25-year-old Mavericks star has received his fair share of support.

One player who defended Dončić was his former teammate and current Knicks star Jalen Brunson. During an interview with Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks, Brunson gave a thorough and excellent response while addressing what Dončić is facing.

“Yes, it’s unfair ... It’s an emotional game. Everyone is like, ‘You’re a grown man, you need to act like one.’ This is what everyone in this league has worked for, an opportunity like that," Brunson told Rooks. "And sometimes, emotions get the best of you. People want players to be perfect."

Jalen Brunson to Taylor Rooks on if the Luka Dončić criticism has been unfair:

“Yes, it’s unfair… It’s an emotional game. Everyone is like ‘You’re a grown man, you need to act like one.’ This is what everyone in this league has worked for, an opportunity like that. And… pic.twitter.com/nLOAv4LJFh
— Mavs Film Room (@MavsFilmRoom) June 13, 2024

Dončić and Brunson entered the league ahead of the 2018-19 season with Dallas. They played four seasons together before Brunson signed with New York in free agency before the 2022-23 campaign.

While Dončić has received disapproval for certain aspects of Game 3, Brunson's assessment is hard to argue. Dončić and the Mavericks battled all season to get to this point, and Game 3 had an obvious "must-win" feel as Dallas trailed 2-0 in the series to the Celtics.

Dončić has always been an emotional player, and it certainly got the best of him, but with his team's season on the line, it's not hard to understand why.

Jeff Smith

Jeff Smith has extensive experience as a sports writer and editor, including stops at ESPN, FOX Sports, CBS Sports, USA TODAY SMG, and Heavy. Jeff's passion for sports content starts and finishes with writing and he's grateful to be able to work in that field on a daily basis.

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