As Kyrie Irving said, nobody’s is feeling 100 percent physically at this time of the NBA season.
Aches and pains are standard for every player that has survived the 82-game regular season to make the playoffs.
Luka Dončić is proof.
He acknowledged after the 116-111 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 on Sunday that he’s dealing with is not a “perfect situation.”
The superstar point guard was questionable going into Game 4 with right knee soreness. Less publicized was that he was also dealing with a head cold, as a substantial portion of the general population has been lately.
“It’s hurting obviously, but I (can’t) use it as an excuse,” he said about the knee. “We just came out a little sloppy.”
Dončić was impactful enough to carve out a 29-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple double. But he only hit 10-of-24 shots and was just 1-of-9 from three-point range.
When asked if any sickness was hindering his energy or his play, he said: “It’s nothing. We lost the game. For the knee, it shouldn’t be an excuse. I’m out there trying to play, trying to play a lot of minutes. Sometimes you don’t have perfect situation. I just got to do better.”
Luka took the onus for the Mavericks’ slow start, when they fell behind by 31 points in the second quarter, although that predicament clearly was a team effort.
But what impressed Dončić was the support the Mavericks got when it was obvious they were having trouble finding any momentum against the Clippers.
“We were down 31 and we came back,” he said. “The fans were amazing. We were down 31, but they kept supporting us. But we got to start the games better, especially me.”
He’s also seen the job Irving has done, scoring 19 second-half points in the Game 3 win on Friday and then going off for 40 points in the final three quarters on Sunday to lead the Mavericks’ comeback from the massive hole they dug.
“I just got to help him more,” Dončić said. “I feel like I’m letting him down. I got to be there. He’s giving everything he has. He’s been amazing for us the whole series.”
Dončić, meanwhile, led the NBA in scoring in the regular season at a shade under 34 points per game. His scoring in the four playoff games is down slightly (29 per game). But it’s his shooting (39-for-101) that has been concerning.
That said, the Mavericks have been plus-32 when Dončić has been on the court in the series.
And his efforts have not been lost on Irving, even if Luka is sick or hurting physically.
“We don’t have time to look at each other and ask if we’re OK,” Irving said. “We just got to be willing to put our bodies on the line. If he’s not good to go, I’m sure he’ll sit out.
“But knowing him and his confidence level and knowing how well he knows the Clippers, I know he wants to play well and wants to make a bigger impact than what he’s doing now, even though he’s averaging almost a triple double.”
The challenge facing Luka, Kyrie and their teammates now is to win another game in Los Angeles. The series is tied at 2 and Games 5 and 7, if necessary, will be at Crypto.com Arena. Game 6 will be at American Airlines Center on Friday.
So what has to happen to right the ship for Luka and his teammates?
“Play with energy,” he said. “We had two day games and we struggled in both. We just got to go out there and play 48 minutes hard. We got to go out with the same energy we had in Games 2 and 3.
“Just go out there and have fun. When I have fun, that’s when I play my best.”
But as we all know, when you aren’t at your physical best, it’s sometimes easier said than done to go out and have fun on the job.
X: @ESefko
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