Fired-up Doncic, Mavs force Game 7 vs. Suns

DALLAS — For the second time in a span of three possessions, Dallas Mavericks celebrity Luka Doncic drove straight down the lane and completed with a two-handed dunk.

The highest-seeded Phoenix Suns, trailing by 20 factors halfway via the third quarter of Thursday’s Recreation 6, referred to as timeout, offering Doncic an opportunity to increase his post-dunk celebrating past the flexing and snarling he did after a number of baskets within the Mavs’ series-evening 113-86 rout on the American Airways Middle. Doncic strutted out to half courtroom, aggressively nodding his head and shouting within the course of the Suns’ bench.

It was a little bit of payback after Doncic needed to hearken to the Suns bark whereas blowing out the Mavs in Recreation 5. A sequence that has been fairly chippy regardless of not that includes any shut video games shall be determined in Sunday’s Recreation 7 again on the Footprint Middle in Phoenix.

“I like when individuals trash speak to me,” Doncic mentioned after his 33-point, 11-rebound, 8-assist, 4-steal efficiency. “It will get me going. It is enjoyable.”

This marked the primary time within the 23-year-old Doncic’s NBA profession that the Mavs gained a sport whereas going through elimination. However Doncic has shined brightly in every of his alternatives on that stage regardless of dropping to the LA Clippers the earlier two postseasons, averaging 39 factors, 9 rebounds and 11 assists in three win-or-go-home video games.

In keeping with ESPN Stats & Info analysis, Doncic’s scoring common is the very best of any participant in NBA historical past for video games by which his staff is going through elimination.

“Elimination is I suppose the phrase that you simply guys use, nevertheless it’s simply one other sport for us on this journey, and our journey is to win a championship,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd mentioned. “Generally it ends early, generally you are in a position to play till June. I feel he simply enjoys the second. He isn’t afraid of the stage.”

Doncic had higher manufacturing than Phoenix’s All-Star guards Devin Booker (19 factors, 3 assists) and Chris Paul (13 factors, 4 assists) mixed. The Suns completed with a season low in factors and a season excessive in turnovers (22) whereas capturing solely 39.7% from the ground.

“We simply stored making use of strain,” mentioned Mavs guard Jalen Brunson, who had 18 factors and three steals. “Now it is over, and now we have to determine how we’ll steal a win in Phoenix.”

Booker and Paul, specifically, had been uncharacteristically sloppy, combining for eight turnovers. It was the second time on this sequence that Paul recorded extra turnovers than assists — the primary time in his profession that has occurred in a single postseason, in response to ESPN Stats & Info analysis.

Phoenix coach Monty Williams mentioned he did not suppose the Suns “understood the desperation the [Mavs] had been going to play with,” a consider being dominated by a 29-6 margin in factors off of turnovers.

“It is acquired to be a collectively factor the place everyone is on the identical web page,” mentioned middle Deandre Ayton, who led the Suns with 21 factors and 11 rebounds. “And it wasn’t like that tonight. There have been numerous errors. It felt like a regular-season sport, the quantity of errors we had immediately. The turnovers, horrible, unacceptable. It was that kind of sport the place it was simply unacceptable, man. Them dudes, they wished it extra.”

Doncic particularly imposed his will on the Suns, following via on his post-Recreation 5 promise to assault the paint extra. Fourteen of his 26 subject purpose makes an attempt got here within the paint, together with 8-of-13 capturing within the restricted space.

“He is a troublesome participant. He is an incredible participant,” mentioned Dallas ahead Reggie Bullock, who was the first defender on Booker and scored 19 factors. “I snicker at it after they attempt to guard him. They’ll do the identical factor to him — deliver him up in each pick-and-roll — however when he will get the change, it is a bucket each time. I do not know concerning the switches with him [on defense] to get a bucket each time. I simply know that we’ll again him up. That is our teammate. He’ll maintain us down on the offensive finish and provides us his finest on the defensive finish.”

Doncic posted a historic statistical line in his lone Recreation 7 to date in his profession. He had 46 factors and 14 assists towards the Clippers — creating 77 factors, essentially the most all time in a Recreation 7, in response to Elias Sports activities Bureau analysis — however the Mavs nonetheless suffered a lopsided loss.

“I do not care about stats so long as we win,” Doncic mentioned. “If we win, I am good. The statistics do not actually matter to me, but when we win, it will be wonderful. I feel we gained this sport on the defensive finish, and we have one other sport.”

This would be the first Recreation 7 of Booker’s profession. Paul is 3-4 in Recreation 7s by which he has performed, together with 2-2 on his staff’s house courtroom.

“I really feel like we labored as arduous as we did all season to get house courtroom,” Paul mentioned. “Simply because you’ve gotten house courtroom would not assure you are going to win the sport, however we might reasonably play at house than play right here.

“Been in it earlier than. Seen it. One of the best factor about all these playoff video games is you do not carry the 20-point lead into the sport. Every sport is a persona of its personal, and now it is down to 1 sport, Recreation 7.”

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.