SACRAMENTO – As he lumbered in for his postgame chat with reporters, Luka Dončić had a big bandage wrapped around his left ankle and an ice bag under his right heel.
And he couldn’t have felt better.
Well, that’s not entirely true. A win would have made him happier, but Dončić had a smile on his face after the Mavericks’ 133-128 overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings Saturday night.
His first game with Kyrie Irving had produced monster numbers and gave a tantalizing look at what the future might be for this backcourt match made in hoops heaven.
It’s only going to take time.
“It’s so fun to play with this guy,” Dončić said. “He’s an amazing basketball player. It’ll take some time, but what I learned is we’re already not new. He’s an amazing basketball player. It’s going to be really fun.”
And what’s the key to expediting that familiarity process?
“Playing games together, talking to each other, those two things are the most important,” he said.
Also important is his health. His wheels have needed some TLC lately after he suffered his right heel contusion on Feb. 2. And his left foot/ankle is always reminding him that aches and pains are part of his life.
But getting back after four games out because of the heel was therapeutic in itself.
“I was tired, first game back,” he said. “I mean, overtime. Just really tired. But it was fun to be back out there.”
Here’s our other takeaways from Saturday and the Mavericks’ five-game trip.
TERRIFIC TURNAROUND: The 10-day trip that started with such a whimper against Golden State produced three consecutive wins before they ended it with a bookend loss Saturday. But going 3-2 on any trip is a success and while 4-1 would have been better, it looked a week ago like 1-4 was more likely. The Mavericks now have 12 road wins and nine home losses, a good indicator of their overall lot in the Western Conference. Two games remain before the All-Star break. Monday’s home game against Minnesota won’t be easy, considering it’s a 48-hour stopover in Dallas before finishing at Denver before the break.
GREEN WITH ENVY: Josh Green had one heck of a road trip. In the five games, he averaged 19 points and 4.2 rebounds. And he shot better than 50 percent in each of the final four games on the journey. For the trip, he was 35-of-60 (58.3 percent). And the eye test was even better as he was aggressive in his moves to the rim. And he showed that he just might be a better corner three-point shooter than Dorian Finney-Smith was. Green has shown he has to remain in the starting lineup, at the very least.
KINGS FOR REAL? After 16 consecutive seasons missing the playoffs, the Sacramenot Kings have hope. De’Aaron Fox had 36 points Saturday, 26 of which came in the fourth quarter and overtime. They remained third in the Western Conference. But coach Mike Brown said the Kings still have lots to prove. “About this time and especially after (the break) that’s where true champions or teams that have a real hope of advancing in the playoffs or fighting for a championship, that’s where they take it to another level,” Brown said. “That’s where, if you’re tired mentally, you don’t let it impact your play. Same if you’re tired physically or a little banged up. If you think about those things, they can hinder you and hold you back. That, a lot of times, is what separates the very good teams from the OK or average teams. And it usually happens around this time.” The Mavericks should be listening. And with Irving, they have somebody who can deliver that message from a personal perspective. He is, after all, a three-time player in the NBA finals.
Twitter: @ESefko
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