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DALLAS — PJ Washington led the Dallas Mavericks to a 105-101 victory on Saturday in Game 3 of the team’s Western Conference Semifinals clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Washington scored 27 points in the victory, while Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic both scored 22 points. Doncic continued to battle despite dealing with a knee sprain and ankle soreness.
Doncic got brutally honest after the game, as he said “everything” is hurting.
“The last play … I hurt my knee again,” Doncic said. “Just trying to battle out there, man. We got a win, that’s all that matters.”
Luka is continuing to play despite his injury concerns. He is not posting eye-popping scoring numbers, but Doncic is still giving his team opportunities to win. In addition to his 22 points scored on Saturday, Luka recorded 15 rebounds and five assists.
“I’m battling out there, man. I think I’m battling,” Doncic added. “I’m glad we got the win. I’m just trying to battle out there.”
Doncic later added that he needs “all the rest” he can get. Luka is hoping to improve by Monday’s game. He was listed as questionable for Game 3 but obviously still played. Barring a significant setback, Doncic will probably play in Game 4. The question is how much his injury will improve by then.
Luka Doncic “battling” as Mavericks take 2-1 series lead
Dallas now holds a 2-1 series lead over the Thunder. The Mavericks have stepped up amid Doncic’s injury concern.
“We’ve been here before, we’re not built on one guy,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said. “We’re built on a team. If Luka is hurting, next man up. And someone has got to pick him up. It’s not just Kai ( Kyrie Irving). It’s the other guys … Timmy (Tim Hardaway Jr.) has been great for us, Josh (Green) was big for us off the bench. That’s what makes the beauty of sport … That it’s a team. It’s not golf where we just have a player and a caddie. This is a group that believes that if somebody is hurting, they are going to pick them up.
“Luka hurting, he’s doing everything to put the team in a position to win. So that’s what a leader does. This is a special group, they believe in helping one another.”
Jason Kidd on #Mavericks play amid Luka Doncic’s injury concern:
“We’re not built on one guy. We’re built on a team. If Luka is hurting, next man up… It’s not golf where we just have a player and a caddie… This is a special group, they believe in helping one another.” pic.twitter.com/BGYNCes8ul
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) May 12, 2024
Luka wants to win a championship. The Mavericks are six victories away from reaching the NBA Finals. As aforementioned, he is going to play in every game moving forward barring a major setback.
The fact that players such as PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and Tim Hardaway Jr. are performing well helps to ease the burden on both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Every team benefits from their non-superstars playing well in the NBA Playoffs. It has been especially important for the Mavericks given Doncic’s injury, though.
The Mavericks will not practice on Sunday. Game 4 is not scheduled until 9:30 p.m. ET on Monday night. Doncic is hoping that a full day of rest on Sunday will go a long way toward helping him feel better for Monday night’s contest.
More must-reads:
- Mavericks star duo joins exclusive club with Game 1 win
- Two young stars get hefty bonuses for making All-NBA teams
- The 'Leading scorers from the 2003-04 NBA season' quiz
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