Shaq’s Recurring Anxiety Finds Cure, Courtesy of Luka Doncic’s Aggressiveness

Published 04/24/2024, 1:40 PM EDT

Luka Doncic owned the court against the LA Clippers in Game 2 of the NBA playoffs, clinching away the lead from the former team. However, the Dallas Mavericks were not the only ones who got relieved witnessing astonishing play from Luka. 4x NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal revealed on TNT that Luka’s transitional performance soothed his anxiety in the second half of the game. Indeed, Luka did deliver some magnificent three-pointers in the fourth quarter, resulting in the Mavericks’ victory.

Appearing at the post-match analysis, Big Shamrock mentioned how he feels when a star player doesn’t play well from the start. Elaborating further, he shared, “I said at the halftime when a superstar has a bad game, I’m always anxious to see the second game.” Luka’s performance in the first playoff game against the Clippers wasn’t too efficient; the 33 points that he scored during the game came from only 11 attempts out of an overall total of 26.

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However, Luka’s magic returned to form in Game 2 of the playoff series against the Clippers, where he scored 32 points. Moreover, Luka contested 11 from-the-floor attempts and even stopped the rival team with his aggressive play. Considering this, Shaq noted, “He was very aggressive, he hit some tough shots. And this is what Superstars do.” During this clash, Doncic eliminated the claims of being a defensive liability, showcasing his multi-dimensional play in the playoffs.

Luka Doncic brings the Mavericks back into the playoff series

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The Mavericks stole the show with their defensive tactics against James Harden on Tuesday, who scored 28 points in Game 1. However, it was Luka who took it down to 22 points with his defensive skills against the Clippers’ shooting guard. Playing 46 minutes into the game, Doncic kept Harden’s from-the-floor count at 1-of-5. As an individual defender, Doncic’s growth seemed immense.

Even Luka himself was proud of this performance. “I think I played good defense today. I’ve just got to stay locked in,” said the Mavericks’ star while addressing his future strategy. Clearly, the 3-point lead that resulted in the Mavericks’ victory was because of their defensive turnaround.

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And with players like Kawhi Leonard on the opposing side, the upcoming games might end closer than the second one. At the moment, the Mavericks will be all about setting the tone of their play. While Luka could be working on the strategic foundation for the games ahead, the others are gearing up to match his rhythm.

Do you think the combined harmony of the Mavericks can give the Clippers a hard time? Let us know in the comments.

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Krishna Shukla is an NBA Writer at Essentially Sports. After working extensively across different divisions at ES, his love for Kobe enticed him into the world of basketball. He specializes in reconstructing basketball podcasts in his writing, along with writing injury reports.

Shaq’s Recurring Anxiety Finds Cure, Courtesy of Luka Doncic’s Aggressiveness

Luka Doncic brings the Mavericks back into the playoff series

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