NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MAVERICKS VS. WARRIORS

May 22, 2022

Luka Doncic

Dallas Mavericks

Game 3: Postgame

Warriors 109, Mavericks 100

Q. Luka, I asked Jason if he felt that you guys were getting fatigued, if all the minutes, all the heavy minutes were finally adding up, and he said I should ask you guys. Do you sense that at all?

LUKA DONCIC: I don't think it's fatigue. Sometimes, some point of the game, you're going to be fatigued, but I don't think so. I think the rebounds, the second-chance points are a big problem in this series.

Q. What happened in the third quarter when the Warriors really pulled away?

LUKA DONCIC: That's what I said, like I say, second-chance points, actually the rebounding they had. They out-rebounded us I think again in all three games, and that's making a big difference, I think.

Q. Luka, Jason talked about even though you guys haven't won a game this series that this is really a building block for you guys and for the franchise and just the experience of having this stage. What do you think you guys have learned game to game, maybe not so much in strategy but just in terms of the atmosphere and the competitiveness level and just this kind of stage?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, it's going to be difficult. Every game is going to be really difficult. It's not over yet, but it's not going to be easy. The Warriors are not going to give you anything easy.

I think we're going to learn a lot, and we're still learning, but like we've got to come 100 percent every game.

Q. You guys have been gone from home for a week, and were just coming back for the first time tonight. I wondered if you'd take me back through -- when you think back to the highs of the Game 7 win and then the low of losing the 19-point game at Golden State, do you think that y'all ever came off that high? Do you think coming off that high of that Game 7 affected you guys going into this series?

LUKA DONCIC: What do you mean by "high"?

Q. The euphoria of winning a Game 7, the excitement, the thrill that you said you couldn't get the smile off your face after Game 7?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, yeah, it was I think an unbelievable win. Like I say, nobody had us being here in these Conference Finals. But I don't know, man, I think the Warriors are playing incredible. Everybody knows their role. Everybody just stays together. They're a long-built team. They've been together for a long time, and I think they're playing good basketball, so that's what I think is going to be really difficult, and these past three games it's been very difficult.

Q. Can you give us your view of what happened when Wiggins dunked on you?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, I got hit a little bit, but that was impressive, I'm not going to lie. I saw the video again, I was like, ooh. That was pretty incredible. I wish I had those bunnies.

Q. Two straight games you've had 40-plus, obviously you lose both. This team is now in your career 2-6 when you get 40 in a playoff game. What's kind of the balance between your individual brilliance and finding a way to win against elite competition in the Playoffs?

LUKA DONCIC: If I would knew that, I would have executed. I mean, that's a tough question. Like I say, I'm still learning. I think the first two quarters I played very bad. That's on me. But I'm still learning. I think after this season is done, whatever we are, I think we're going to look back and learn a lot of things.

It's my first time in the Conference Finals in the NBA, so I'm 23, man, I'm still learning a lot.

Q. Following the Game 3 loss tonight, what's the big thing that you'd like to see the team collectively improve on heading into Game 4?

LUKA DONCIC: I think, like I say, the rebounding. We've got to be way better. We've got to be more physical. It's really tough with Looney; he's an unbelievable player. He's very underrated. Nobody talks about him. But I think he's been doing an amazing job, and it's tough with him. He's a strong dude, and he helps them a lot. He's a great role player, and we've got to do a better job boxing him out.

Q. Despite the loss tonight, what's it like to be back at home and get the atmosphere back on your side?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, it's always great to be home. These fans, I've enjoyed since the first day I came here to Dallas, so I was really excited for this game. Unfortunately we couldn't get them a win, but we'll try next game to get them a win.

Q. You talked about being more physical or wanting to be more physical. How much of that extends to shot selection? There were a few times where fans were groaning when you would drive inside and then kick it back out for a three that wasn't going in.

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, it's tough. I think they're collapsing a lot in the paint, so I think sometimes they're just making us shoot threes. I think every time I drive, I think I see a lot of players in the area, in the paint. It's tough. Sometimes you feel like you're open and everybody knows you can make a shot, and then just miss. It gets quite a little bit down. But sometimes you've just got to take those shots.