By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
Frustrated after the defeat against the Indiana Pacers at the American Airlines Center, Luka Doncic was clear in his message ahead of the challenges ahead for the Dallas Mavericks.
“We have to play better defense” he answered several questions afterwards Tuesday’s match.
Doncic, 25, recorded a fourth straight triple-double during the 2023-24 regular season. Collecting 39 points behind 15/30 field goals, 11 assists and ten rebounds shaped his last strong performance. However, the Mavs won only one game during their four-game streak.
“I do not care” he referred to his statistics, “It doesn’t matter. I just want to win, man. That’s it.”
His team fell to 34-28 with a fifth loss in the last six outings, following a seven-game winning streak. Closing out a three-game homestand, hosting the Miami heat in Dallas will take place next Thursday. From there to a visit to Detroit Pistons on the next edition of NBA Saturdays and Chicago Bulls Monday.
Currently sitting in the Play-In zone, the Mavericks are two games removed from the top six spots in the Western Conference, leading to a direct berth for the 2024 Playoffs. Additionally, they are six games away from potential elimination.
The five-time All-Star averaging 34.5 points, 9.7 assists, 8.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per contest sets projections for multiple career highs. However, winning games and making the playoffs, especially after missing the 2023 playoffs, naturally appears to be Doncic’s true goal.
