Jamal "Crawsturdamus" Crawford nailed it to a T.
When the Mavericks, down 108-106, called a timeout with 12.1 seconds left in Friday's Game 2 against the Timberwolves, their head coach, Jason Kidd, had two options: draw up a play to tie or take the lead.
On NBA TV's simulcast, Crawford was asked to predict the outcome.
"What happens here, Crawsturdamus?" asked host Taylor Rooks.
"It's gonna be in Luka's hands, he's gonna shoot a stepback three," Crawford said with his eyes closed. He even predicted that Luka Doncic would sink the shot and hop on one leg after making it.
Lo and behold, the Slovenian did exactly as Crawford prophesized. The Mavericks won the game 109-108.
Jamal Crawford really PERFECTLY predicted Luka's game-winner before it happened
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 25, 2024
(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/gYUzGRm4t6
"Watch the hop on one leg. What did I tell you he was gonna do?" Crawford said while watching the replay of Doncic's incredible shot.
After the game, the three-time Six Man of the Year had all the bragging rights, and rightfully so.
“ BAR For BAR , line for line” Crawsturdamus strikes again! ♂️ https://t.co/8WcHhISIzV
— Jamal Crawford (@JCrossover) May 25, 2024
So, did the Mavericks draw up a play for Doncic to take a three? According to Kidd, the Mavs' game plan was to allow Doncic to read the situation and react accordingly.
"The play was to get Luka the ball and let Luka do what Luka does in those moments," Kidd told reporters after the game. "He has trust with his teammates — if they [Timberwolves] were going to hit him [with a double team] — he knew who he was gonna find to knock down a shot."
As it turned out, the Timberwolves never blitzed Doncic and allowed Rudy Gobert to guard the Mavs star in isolation. The decision backfired severely.
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