WATCH: Shaq and Barkley Joke Around with Luka Doncic Post Win Against Nuggets

Published 01/08/2021, 5:00 AM EST

The Dallas Mavericks managed another win in the absence of star Kristaps Porzingis tonight. Luka Doncic was back to his best and led the team to an overtime win over the Nuggets.

During the post-game press conference with NBA on TNT, Hall of Famers Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal were messing around with the Slovenian superstar. Barkley asked the 21-year-old about a 1982 movie about which Doncic was confused and ended up smiling awkwardly. Later, Shaq tried to say goodbye to him in Slovenian but struggled, and they made him repeat the words with the correct pronunciation.

Chuck and Shaq kept messing with Luka 😂
(via @NBAonTNT) pic.twitter.com/FUhEnHAihn
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 8, 2021

Article continues below this ad

Perhaps the Mavericks’ win gave Luka enough patience to laugh through the awkward end to the conversation. Doncic had a phenomenal game tonight and was one rebound away from a triple-double. He had 38 points, nine rebounds, and 13 assists. He also shot 13-22 from the field and 10-15 from the charity stripe.

How long does Luka Doncic have to carry the Mavericks alone?

Since suffering a torn meniscus during the Mavericks first-round playoff encounter against the Clippers, Kristaps Porzingis hasn’t returned. It has been almost five months now, and he could make a return soon. “In terms of a timetable, we’re not talking weeks,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “We’re talking sometime in the next week, week-and-a-half, if all things continue to go well.”

Article continues below this ad

The Latvian is slowly working on his return. During his conversation with NBA on TNT, Doncic mentioned that Porzingis is currently playing 3v3 in practice. He said that Porzingis looked “great,” and this will be a good sign for the Mavericks.

In Kristaps’ absence, the team has started the season 4-4. This includes two unexpected losses to the Bulls and the Hornets. The Mavericks are surprisingly doing well on defense without him, but they are missing his shooting. They rank 25th in the league when it comes to three-point shooting and have been struggling since the start.

Article continues below this ad

Three of their top four players with the most three-point attempts are averaging below 32% from deep. So the Mavericks will be hoping that Porzingis can return soon and help them out on offense especially. Last season, he and Doncic led the Mavericks to the best offense in NBA history, and they will be aiming to repeat those performances this time as well.

Mavericks’ Head Coach Reveals Why Luka Doncic’s Preparation Schedule was ‘Thrown Off’ Ahead of the Season

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Aaron Mathew is a sports analyst at EssentiallySports. A graduate in Mass Media from Xavier’s College, Aaron has been a part of EssentiallySports since May 2020 where he covers both NBA and NCAA basketball news, and has also covered NBA 2K. In the past, Aaron has worked at the Sports Desk of Mumbai Mirror.

WATCH: Shaq and Barkley Joke Around with Luka Doncic Post Win Against Nuggets

How long does Luka Doncic have to carry the Mavericks alone?

Trending

Shaq Warns Lakers Locker Room Of Jeanie Buss Game Plan If Darvin Ham & Co Fail Vs Nuggets

Heat Injury Report: Latest On Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson Ahead of Game 2 vs Celtics

Joel Embiid Banned By Empire State Building After Dangerous Incident On Court With Mitchell Robinson

“So Rigged”: All Hell Breaks Loose as Jamal Murray Forces LeBron James’ Lakers Into Bitter Embarrassment

“It’s Just Basketball”: LeBron James Rambles About Anxiety After Lakers Fall To Nuggets At Home