PAINFUL DEPARTURE: Luka Dončić Has gone…….
March 1: When the clubs play on Friday night, Luka Doncic and the visiting Dallas Mavericks will try to snap the nine-game winning run held by the Boston Celtics.
The NBA’s top scorer, Nikola Jokić, celebrated turning 25 on Wednesday by defeating the Toronto Raptors 136-125 and scoring 30 points, 16 assists, and 11 rebounds. Doncic, who is averaging 34.4 points, 9.7 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game this season, recorded his 11th triple-double of the year.
“Triple-double, just a regular game,” Dallas head coach Jason Kidd remarked. “He was really good.”
In nine consecutive games, Doncic has scored at least 25 points, and twice in that span, he has scored more than 40.
Doncic remarked, “Our team is fantastic.” “(Against Toronto) our defense was at the top, so we’ve just got to keep going like that.”
Due to a sprained left ankle, Doncic is listed as questionable for Friday’s game.
With 29 more points from Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks snapped a two-game losing run. P.J. Washington scored 23 in the end.
“Shots were just falling, so I was just trying to keep shooting open ones,” Washington stated. “For me it’s just finding a rhythm and getting comfortable in each and every game.”
Boston defeated Philadelphia 117-99 on Tuesday to increase its winning run to nine games. In the victory, Jayson Tatum finished with 29 points and Jaylen Brown scored 31. Tatum finished the fourth quarter with 15 points.
The 76ers placed a strong emphasis on defending the 3-point line, and Boston won even though they missed 17 of their 22 3-point tries.
Teams will approach us in many ways, according to Brown. “The 3-point line was taken away by Philadelphia. The following game or other teams may zone in an attempt to slow you down, or other teams may make complete substitutions. You accept the challenge as a student of the game. You begin to think more about the game as you get older. You begin to observe how various coaches choose to carry out their game strategy.It’s all a part of the process. Knowing where the advantages are on the court, how teams are guarding you, and letting the game decide where the ball goes despite your own feelings are all important skills. Where the advantages are, you let the game determine.”
With a 64-42 advantage in points in the paint, the Celtics did the majority of their damage in the interior. Philadelphia was outrebounded 56-28 by Boston as well.
“We managed to triumph in an alternative manner,” Boston manager Joe Mazzulla remarked. “We never stated that we had to prevail (making 3s). Being one of the finest teams, we always accept what the defense offers us. And finding and taking the greatest shot is essentially our offensive philosophies.”
This season’s second encounter between Dallas and Boston will take place on Friday. On January 22, the Celtics triumphed 119-110 on the road. In that game, Doncic finished with 33 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists, while Tatum and Brown of Boston scored 39 and 34 points, respectively.
“I think this year we’ve done a really good job of staying present.” said Tatum. Every day, we always discuss how to improve a little bit. We’re not ignoring anyone. Whether it’s an NBA League Pass game shown nationally or their top player is sidelined, we still respect every opponent.”
