Luka Doncic’s remarkable performance wasn’t enough to secure victory for the Dallas Mavericks as they succumbed to a 125-114 defeat against the Denver Nuggets in the opening game of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.
Despite Doncic’s impressive 34-point display, along with 10 rebounds and eight assists, the Mavericks couldn’t overcome the Nuggets, who were led by Nikola Jokic’s dominant 33-point showcase, complemented by 14 rebounds and nine assists.
The Slovenian superstar struggled with his decision-making as he turned the ball over 9 times. Reflecting on the game, Doncic acknowledged the areas that ultimately led to the Mavericks’ defeat.
“What lost us the game is my turnovers and the defensive rebounds,” Doncic candidly admitted post-game, per Eddie Sefko of mavs.com.
He further lamented, “It was terrible. Just sloppiness with the ball. Trying to make passes. A lot of them (weren’t) good decisions. I got to get way better.”
Despite the loss, Doncic remained optimistic, emphasizing the positive aspects the team could build upon moving forward. “We started slow, but there’s a lot of positive things to look at,” he added.
