Boston’s strategy when they have the ball in the middle of the court is to focus on finding Luka Doncic and making him defend.

This approach caused Doncic to get into trouble with fouls during Wednesday night’s game. He made a couple of unnecessary fouls, especially the one in the third quarter where he reached in, which was a bad choice. Then, in the fourth quarter, a couple of calls didn’t go his way, and he ended up fouling out. This happened during a period when Dallas was on a 20-2 scoring streak, turning a 21-point lead for Boston into just three points. After Doncic fouled out, the Mavericks struggled to create enough offense, leading to their loss and a 0-3 deficit in the series.

Doncic commented on his sixth foul, expressing frustration at being sidelined with six fouls in such an important game. He felt it was unfair. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd acknowledged that Doncic is a prime target for the opposing team and emphasized the need for him to defend better, with the team ready to support him if he needs help.

Analyzing all six fouls called on Doncic, Mavericks fans may disagree with the sixth one, but it was a close call. Jaylen Brown initiated the contact, although Doncic wasn’t in a legal guarding position. The fifth foul was also debatable, as Doncic pushed and tripped Brown, but Brown also hooked him with his arm.

Doncic’s own actions contributed to his foul trouble, such as reaching in from behind on Payton Pritchard and fouling Derrick White in the backcourt. Additionally, he sometimes reacted poorly to no-calls by officials, delaying his return to defense, which gave Boston an advantage.

Looking ahead to Game 4, Doncic may receive some leniency on borderline calls, but for Dallas to succeed, he needs to improve defensively. He will likely continue to be targeted by Boston and must step up to prevent another large deficit. While his fouling out halted a potential comeback in the previous game, the bigger issue may be the team’s reliance on such comebacks.

For there to be a Game 5, Doncic must defend more effectively and avoid foul trouble, while also receiving better support from his teammates.

Luka Doncic Fouls Out in Game 3 of the NBA Finals

Luka Doncic fouled out of Game 3 in the NBA Finals.

The Costly Foul-Out

Here’s the problem: Doncic can’t foul out, not in the Finals, and especially not late in the fourth quarter of a close game that Dallas lost 106-99.

The Dallas Mavericks star is too valuable and indispensable.

Doncic missed the final 4:12 of the fourth quarter after committing his sixth foul, with the Boston Celtics leading 93-90. He had picked up his fifth foul just 26 seconds earlier and was frustrated about fouling out. “You know, six fouls in the NBA Finals, basically I’m like, ‘C’mon, man. Better than that,'” he said.

Growing Criticism

But that’s beside the point. The Mavs needed Doncic, who fouled out for only the third time in his career, on the court, and he wasn’t there. In those minutes without their All-NBA guard, the Mavs were outscored 13-9.

Criticism of Doncic, 25, is growing with each Mavs loss in the Finals. They are down 3-0, and the Celtics can sweep them in Game 4 on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC).

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst criticized Doncic, highlighting his constant complaints about officiating, his defensive shortcomings, and his “unacceptable” performance in Game 3.

@WindhorstESPN mentions what has to change for Luka and the Mavs pic.twitter.com/vyzhoYMQ8g

— Stanford Steve (@StanfordSteve82) June 13, 2024

Challenges and Injuries

Now, Doncic is dealing with injuries. He was listed on the Game 3 injury report with a bruised chest and had previous playoff injuries with a sprained knee and ankle soreness. He’s a key reason the Mavs beat three 50-win teams in the Western Conference playoffs to reach the Finals.

He’s All-NBA for a reason. His offensive talent is undeniable. But in his first Finals appearance, he’s learning how different the game is and what’s required on both ends of the court.

Statistical Analysis

Doncic’s stats in the Finals are decent: 29.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.3 steals per game, shooting 47.3% from the field and 32.1% on 3-pointers. The Mavs need him to carry a huge offensive load.

However, his fourth-quarter numbers, in two close games, are disappointing. He’s averaging 2.7 points, shooting 20% from the field (3-for-15), and 0% on 3-pointers (0-for-4).

He’s not the first star to struggle in a Finals debut, but it highlights areas where he needs to improve.

Defensive Struggles

His frustration with officials and his defense are well-known issues. They’re just more noticeable at this level. The Celtics, with their many offensive options, are targeting Doncic. Boston’s players create advantages all over the court against Dallas, and Doncic is struggling to defend. Sometimes, the effort isn’t there as Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday drive past him with little resistance.

“Yeah, he’s definitely got a bull’s-eye on his chest,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s got to be able to guard and understand that we’re there to protect him and help him if he does get beat.

“Again, he’s carrying a load offensively. They are putting him in every pick-and-roll and isolation. He’s got to be able to play the game where he can rest on offense and let others carry the load.”

Support and Growth

At this stage, though, outside of Kyrie Irving, the Mavs don’t have the players to help Doncic offensively, at least against the Celtics.

“It’s easy to point the finger at just him, say, you could be better. That’s easy to say. I think he knows that,” Irving said. “But, yeah, it’s reiterating that I have his back. We all have his back.”

The Celtics aren’t strangers to playoff disappointments and the growth that comes from those losses. The hope is that Doncic realizes the changes he needs to make.

NBA Finals Game 2 Analysis

Luka Dončić vs Jayson Tatum

Luka Dončić scored a lot of points. Jayson Tatum made a lot of plays. The Boston Celtics are happy with that exchange and now lead 2-0 in their best-of-seven series against Dončić’s Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.

Statistical Breakdown

• Stat-focused fans will highlight Dončić’s:
  • Triple-double
  • Game-high 32 points
  • 4-of-9 shooting from 3-point range
  Blaming his teammates for Sunday’s 105-98 loss at TD Garden.
• Insights on Dončić:
  • Finished third in this year’s MVP race
  • Had eight turnovers, disrupting momentum
    • Many turnovers were due to overambitious plays
    • Led to Boston fast breaks

Performance Analysis

• Turnover Troubles:
  • Luka Dončić had as many turnovers (12) as assists after two games
  • Struggled at the free-throw line: 4-of-8 in Game 2 and 6-for-13 for the series
• Jayson Tatum’s Impact:
  • Shot poorly but made aggressive attacks on the rim
  • Broke down the Dallas defense and created open shots for teammates
    • Resulted in 12 assists against three turnovers
    • Made 5-of-6 free throws

Player Quotes

Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, who scored a team-high 26 points on 11-for-14 shooting, said after the game, “Honestly, I think I just got the opportunity. I’d say a lot of it was JT. He was attacking the basket and making the right play. The way he played tonight, the way he led us, getting into the paint, making plays, it was all about him.”

On Friday night, Luka Dončić announced the game.

Dončić started dancing with the ball at the top of the key and 2023–24 Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in front of him with 9.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Mavericks trailing by two points. He hit the Minnesota Timberwolves center with a series of dribble moves before nailing a stepback three over Gobert’s outstretched arm with 3.1 seconds left, a shot that won the game for Dallas and ended any Minnesota hopes of winning.

“Motherf*cker! You can’t f*cking guard me!”- Luka Doncic to Rudy Gobert 😳 pic.twitter.com/qV2AsJTOPW

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) May 25, 2024

The icy Dončić viciously trash talked Gobert, telling the Timberwolves center he can’t stop him and adding a few more harsh remarks as he backed up along the court after making the jumper.

Dončić continued beyond that, however. He spoke about the winning play with the Inside the NBA team on TNT after the game. Dončić responded well to Shaquille O’Neal’s question on his mental process when a big guy shifts onto him, and he kept trolling Gobert in the process.

In the Western Conference finals against the Timberwolves, Dončić helped the Mavericks establish a 2-0 lead with a game-high 32 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds.