SAN FRANCISCO — Luka Doncic was all smiles Sunday after the Dallas Mavericks eliminated the Phoenix Suns in the
Western Conference semifinals with a thunderous 123-90 victory in Game 7.
The Mavs’ superstar point guard was still smiling following Tuesday’s practice at the Chase Center. Why?
Because Doncic and the Mavs will face the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday at 8 p.m. in Game 1 of a best-of-seven series in the Western Conference Finals. It’s a game the overwhelming majority of folks who know basketball didn’t expect the Mavs would be a part of.
But here are the Mavs, smiling and grinning from ear-to-ear, and soaking up all the pageantry attached to a conference finals
“I’m living my best life – a dream,” Doncic said. “Before Game 7 I said this might be my last game of the NBA season, but I was ready. I wanted to play basketball.
“Tomorrow is another basketball game that I’ll enjoy. I get to play at least four (more games). You never know, so I’m just happy to be playing basketball. It’s incredible.”
How incredible? Doncic, a resident gym rat, spoke eloquently of what life with basketball means to him.
“This life is great for me,” he said. “I get to play basketball, and basketball is my job. This is perfect.
“Everybody wants to have a job that they enjoy and I enjoy it very much — my job. Obviously, when we’re winning the smile is even more. The winning is really incredible.”
For the 
Mavs, the wins have kept coming because Doncic has been virtually un-guardable. In the series against Phoenix, he completely obliterated the Suns to the tune of averaging 32.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and seven assists per game.
Now, Doncic will be faced with the task of trying to shred a Warriors’ defense that involves Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins. But make no mistake about it, the Mavs will also bring Stephen Curry up on a high pick-and-roll and force him to attempt to guard Doncic.
That’s what happened back on March 3 when Doncic finished with 41 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists during a 122-113 victory by the Mavs over the Warriors.
Of course, Doncic wouldn’t say what’s the best way to defend him.
“Then, everybody would play that defense,” he said. “For me, I’ll probably see a couple more double team this series, and that’s fine.
“We faced double teams the whole season. I think we play the best when they double team – four-on-three basketball in the NBA. We have a lot of great players.”
Asked who he thinks will start the game guarding him, Doncic said: “I have no idea. But we’re ready for everything, but I have no idea.”
Forward Dorian Finney-Smith, whose career hinges on his lockdown defense, has no idea how to guard Doncic.
“He’s seen everything, too,” Finney-Smith said. “I feel like they’re going to switch the defenses up to give him something tricky or give him
something different every possession, because that’s what you’ve got to do against great players.
“We expect some trickery, we expect them to guard him multiple ways. But we’re going to be prepared for either way.”
Coach Jason Kidd has confidence that whatever defense the Warriors throw at Doncic, the three-time All-Star will use his high basketball IQ to decipher it and use it to his advantage.
“They’re a team that will throw different defenses on the fly,” Kidd said. “They’re very good at being able to change up their coverages without calling a timeout.
“So for us we have to recognize that and see that. We believe our quarterback has seen a lot of these coverages and he’ll be able to recognize it.”
Doncic will be able to recognize it, Kidd believes, because of his extensive work playing in big games in Europe before he arrived in the NBA in 2018.
“Luka’s a little different,” Kidd said. “The world has been his stage and he enjoys it.
“The bigger it gets, the better he plays. So hopefully that’s what happens for us.”
Doncic definitely is aware of the defense played by Green, who likely will spend a considerable amount of time trying to slow down the Mavs’ 23-year old phenom.
“I have so much respect for Draymond,” Doncic said. “Obviously, Klay and Steph are incredible, but I think the key to the Warriors’ team is Draymond.
“He’s just unbelievable, and I really respect him. He impacts the game in every other category.”
Green also is a high-level trash talker, and will likely use that tactic to try and throw Doncic off his game.
“You never hear me trash talking in the media,” Doncic said. “Obviously, we’re going to have some words.
“But that’s the fun part of the game, and I love that part.”
Kidd stopped short of describing Doncic as un-guardable. But he knows defenses have to bring a lot of secret sauce to the table if they have designs on slowing down Doncic, who missed the first three games of the six-game first-round series against Utah with a strained left calf.
“He’s gotten better coming back from that injury,” Kidd said. “He goes at his pace, he’s a willing passer, he trusts his teammates, and also he’s willing to post up or play on the perimeter. He’s a hard player to guard.
“Right now he’s seeing the court at a high level and we’re going to need him to see the court at a high level against a great talented defensive team.”
Known for playing at his own speed – which is a gear or two slower than everybody else – Doncic has this knack for playing isolation basketball, and backing a defender down near the goal and either scoring, or firing a bullet pass into the corner to one of his trusted teammates. It’s a pattern that has stymied many a defense for the Mavs, who are in the conference finals for the first time since they won the
2011 NBA title.
“We’re comfortable with (Doncic) in the iso just because he can do multiple things,” Kidd said. “He can shoot it, he can get to the rim, and lastly he’s a good quarterback and he can find the receivers.
“So we’re very comfortable with him having the ball in an iso situation.”
And even though the Warriors won the NBA champion in three of the past seven years, the Mavs are also very comfortable knowing they can play foot loose and fancy free because the pressure is all on Golden State.
“Obviously, they have Steph, Klay, and those two guys are arguably the best shooters ever,” Doncic said. “So it’s going to be really tough, but I think both teams are amazing teams, but they play different.
“I think we’ll play a little bit different than we played against Phoenix. I always say pace is important, especially if we want to get out early.”
Doncic also knows that this series will be labeled the experience Warriors against the inexperienced Mavs. But he doesn’t pay much attention to semantics.
“We have to face the Warriors, whose been the best team in the league for 10 years,” Doncic said. “They’ve been through the bad and the good, so they know what it’s about.
“So it’s going to be really tough. But I think we’ve got to go game-by-game and respect every game in their own way.”
And, like Doncic, just keep on smiling.
KIDD REMEMBERS PLAYING AGAINST KERR: Mavs coach Jason Kidd has memories of playing against Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr when Kerr played for the Chicago Bulls.
“Yeah, I remember facing Steve,” Kidd said. “He had Michael Jordan. “
Kidd had to laugh at that comment.
“Steve always made the big shots,” Kidd said. “Steve was a great competitor and a great NBA player. He doesn’t get his just due.
“He played his role at a high level and he won. He’s a winner. That’s what makes him special.”
As far himself dabbling into coaching, Kidd said: “I love the chess aspect of the game. I love the mental aspect of the game. I love helping the players achieve their goals financially or winning. That’s what makes the game fun for me.
“As a player I played to win. As a coach you play to win.”
BRIEFLY: The Mavs stayed in Phoenix on Sunday night after eliminating the Suns in seven games on Sunday, then flew to San Francisco on Monday and practiced Tuesday. . .Coach Jason Kidd said he’s always talking to his team about paying attention to details. “It’s the details that helps you win as you go forward in the playoffs,” Kidd said. “The littlest thing can help. It could be a turnover or a rebound or a steal. I think this group paying attention, this group is long, and we talked about it from Day One, playing defense. What makes this group special is they trust everyone who speaks in front of the group as a coach or a player. We all respect what the person is saying. It’s the details that helps you win as you go forward in the playoffs.”. .Some 27 years ago Tuesday, Grant Hill and Kidd were announced as co-winners of the NBA Rookie of the Year award for the 1994-’95 season. . .As with any playoff series, the deeper a team goes, the more media shows up. Kidd said of his players: “They say there’s too many media guys here asking them questions. They just want to play. That’s what’s special about this group is that it’s about basketball. It’s not talking to the media or doing anything on any of the media platforms. It’s just basketball.”. . Kidd grew up in Oakland in the Bay Area, and played college basketball at the University of California-Berkeley. He said he has no butterflies coming home and coaching in the biggest series of his coaching career. “I don’t think they’re butterfliers,” Kidd said. “It’s always good to come home. A lot of great things happened here as a kid growing up in the bay, so yeah, it’s always good. They’re not butterflies. They’re more excitement of seeing the bay. Especially seeing San Francisco without clouds, it’s always nice.”. .Mavs assistant coach Jamahl Mosley just finished his first year as the head coach of the Orlando Magic. And Mosley came up with some magic of his own Tuesday when Orlando won the NBA Draft Lottery and will have the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s NBA Draft. . .Mavs forward Dorian Finney-Smith said: “We know what we’re here for. We’re trying to do something special.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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