Luka Legend: How Luka Dončić bent the ending of Game 2 to his will

MINNEAPOLIS — The great ones all seem to have this magnetism in clutch situations. They become one with the ball, one with the moment, almost freezing everyone in a building to bend the game to their will.

It didn’t matter if it was a Defensive Player of the Year guarding Luka Dončić, or any other overmatched defender. Sometimes things seem to go in slow motion, and everyone else is powerless to stop it.

Dončić is used to the quiet in crazy moments, attracted to the sensation of a stunned arena, drawn to building the legend of Luka, shot by shot.

“I knew that sh** was good. I knew it was good. The way it left his hands,” Dallas Mavericks rookie Dereck Lively II said.

“I know exactly what he was thinking, so it was time to get ready for the magic to happen,” Mavs guard Kyrie Irving said.

“We talked about taking the two, we’re only down two, but when he got to dancing with [Rudy] Gobert, you can see the stepback was coming, and the rest is history,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said.

Lively II set the screen to create the switch to get Timberwolves wing Jaden McDaniels off Dončić. Irving’s shot-making prowess had to be respected, so Dončić could have the space to work. Kidd called the play for Dončić, but left his wizard to his own devices.

Luka Dončić shoots the game-winning 3-pointer over Rudy Gobert in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals at Target Center on May 24, 2024, in Minneapolis. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Everyone contributed to the moment authored by Dončić, as his 3-pointer Friday night with 3.0 seconds left lifted the Dallas Mavericks to another road win in the Western Conference finals, taking a 2-0 lead back to Dallas with a 109-108 win at Target Center.

Even Gobert played right into the moment, allowing Dončić to bait him on a drive to the basket but changing course for that signature stepback.

“We switched on the pick-and-roll,” Gobert said. “I was in iso. He hit a big shot. I let my team down on the last play. They believed in me to get a stop, and he scored a 3.”

Honestly, as helpless as Gobert was, it could’ve been anybody wearing a Timberwolves…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/luka-legend-how-luka-doncic-bent-the-ending-of-game-2-to-his-will-063637882.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-05-25 06:36:37

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