Luka Doncic blames himself after poor shooting performance to give Wolves Game 4

The Timberwolves took advantage of the Mavericks' poor shooting and forced game 5 in the WCF.

Luka Doncic blames himself after poor shooting performance to give Wolves Game 4

Luka Doncic took the blame for Game 4 loss

The Dallas Mavericks had the chance to sweep the Minnesota Timberwolves and win the Western Conference finals at home. However, poor shooting by the team’s MVP finalist played a significant role in the team’s loss. Despite dropping a triple-double, Luka Doncic was struggling from the field as he missed multiple important shots.

While shooting only 33.3% from the field, Luka Doncic also missed an essential free throw that would have changed the trajectory of the game. Hence, knowing the cost, the Slovenian took responsibility for the loss after the game. During the press conference, Doncic admitted that his performance did not live up to the mark. 

That game is on me. I just didn’t give enough energy. So, we gotta do better. They won 1 game- we gotta focus on the next one
Luka Doncic at the post-game presser

The underwhelming shooting was an issue for not only Doncic but for also the other scoring pillar of the team. After matching up for 66 points in the previous game, Kyrie Irving had the exact same shooting percentage as Doncic in the fourth game. The guard only contributed 16 points in the Dallas Mavericks loss.

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However, that was not the case for the Timberwolves’ star duo. Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony Towns made a huge comeback after their prior outings and added 54 points to Minnesota’s score. Doncic and Irving were unable to go past these performances and eventually lost the game.

Kyrie Irving also took the blame after Luka Doncic’s statement

Doncic and Kyrie Irving have shown chemistry both on and off the court throughout the playoffs. The duo has also taken over the role of the leaders very well for their team. Hence, after the tough loss, the talented backcourt shared the blame as Irving had Doncic’s back.

Upon learning that Doncic took the blame, Irving was not surprised. As the 32-year-old reflected on Doncic’s competitiveness and leadership quality, Irving also wanted to share the responsibility of the loss. 

I expect him to say something like that, especially knowing how much he cares how much he wants to win... I think you heard me too, just say that it's on me. That's what you're supposed to hear from the leaders of your team. We know we didn't play with the best energy.
Kyrie Irving at the post-game presser

After the loss, both Doncic and Irving showed a positive attitude about getting one more win. The duo will head to Minneapolis for the next game to potentially close out the series on the road and qualify for the finals against the Boston Celtics.

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