Luka Doncic Fouls Out, Mavericks’ Hopes Crumble!

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic’s decision to draw a charge on Jaylen Brown late in the fourth quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals might have sealed the Celtics’ dominance in the series. After cutting a 21-point deficit to just 3, the Mavericks lost Doncic, their best offensive player, to foul trouble with 4:12 remaining.

The Celtics managed to secure a 106-99 win, leading the NBA Finals 3-0, a deficit no team has ever overcome in playoff history. Doncic’s choice to challenge the play with five fouls left his fate to the officials, who called a block, fouling him out and causing Dallas to lose the challenge. Doncic expressed his frustration, saying, “We couldn’t play physical. I don’t know. I don’t want to say nothing. Six fouls in the NBA Finals, come on, man. Better than that.”

Despite the call, Dallas continued to fight. Kyrie Irving, who scored 35 points and made 4 of 6 three-pointers, brought the Mavericks within one point with an 18-foot pull-up jumper. However, without Doncic, Irving could only add two more points from free throws in the final 2:32.

Irving felt compelled to take over after Doncic fouled out, stating, “I don’t think I really had a choice. It was unfortunate. We still had to figure out a way to win… We kept playing, we kept competing, and we felt like we gave ourselves a chance.”

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd challenged the call on Doncic’s sixth foul but not his fifth, questioning why they wouldn’t challenge all foul calls. Kidd emphasized the need for Doncic to improve defensively, as the Celtics targeted his weaknesses. “He’s definitely got a bull’s-eye on his chest,” Kidd said. “He’s got to guard and understand that we’re there to protect him and help him if he does get beat.”

Irving stressed the importance of coming out aggressively in Game 4, saying, “Just be ready… We know we got to shoot our shots and do it with aggression. Defensively, we got to create that separation when we’re playing against them.”

Historically, all 156 teams facing a 3-0 deficit in the NBA playoffs have failed to overcome it. Irving urged against blaming Doncic, advising to “let it breathe… Just give him a hug. It’s easy to point the finger and say you could be better. I think he knows that.”