NBA | MAVERICKS-CELTICS
How is Doncic playing through the pain barrier?
The Mavericks star player has been suffering from a spate of injuries for much of postseason as he looks to try and turn things around as Dallas trail 0-2.
Luka Doncic and his Dallas Mavericks face an uphill task in the 2023-24 season NBA Finals after they trail 0-2 to the Boston Celtics following two defeats at the TD Garden.
The Slovenian player, was a doubt until the last minute for Sunday’s Game 2 and the point guard has been receiving treatment for discomfort in his right knee and left ankle for several weeks, but now has another ailment after being diagnosed with a chest contusion. ESPN maintain that the 25-year-old is being treated with pain killing injections in order to suit-up for every game despite the Ljubljana native’s claim when speaking to the media: “I’m fine. I don’t want to give more details, but I feel good,” he declared this Tuesday.
Despite his condition, Doncic still dazzles on court and after a lackluster showing from his team in Game 1, the Slovenian lead the way scoring a triple-double that helped the Mavericks ensure Game 2 was a competitive affair despite Boston running out as winners.
“We want to play fast. In the second game we did much better with the rhythm and that’s why we were closer. But we still have left, we can play with even more,” Luka explained. “The message to the fans is to believe in us. We haven’t fallen yet. We are going to play at home, I know they are going to make a lot of noise. We’re fine, we’ve lost two, we haven’t lost four yet. All eyes are on the third game and we have to go for it all,” added the man from Ljubljana.
Dallas looking for best version of Kyrie
Mavs fans are hoping that for the forthcoming games at the American Airlines Centre in Texas, Kyrie Irving can step up and show the quality that has graced much of the postseason campaign for Dallas. In the two games in Boston, Irving has managed just 14 points on a combined 13-for-37 shooting, including 0-for-8 from long range and if Dallas are to get back on track, they need greater impact and contribution for Kyrie.
Speaking to the media ahead of Game 3, the point guard acknowledged his shortcomings in the Finals so far: “They’re not going to stop pressing us, stop their pace, stop testing us on both ends of the floor,” Irving said. “We know what we’re in for. But now we have to raise it to an even higher level, and it starts with me.”