NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MAVERICKS VS. WARRIORS

May 26, 2022

Luka Doncic

Dallas Mavericks

Game 5: Postgame

Q. Luka, when you're sitting up there, are you thinking more about tonight's game or are you thinking more about the season and how things went as a whole?

LUKA DONCIC: For me, about tonight's game. I don't like losing, especially not like this. I played terrible.

But if we say on our team, if we talk about our season, I'm really proud of this team, everybody, every player, every staff member. Nobody had us here. But I promise we fought until the end.

Congratulations to Warriors. They were obviously the better team. But I'm really proud of this team.

Q. You mentioned a game like tonight; is that something that you think will sit with you this offseason and be kind of that motivating force? Just in general with this playoff run, what did you learn that you're going to take into this off-season?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, offseason I don't think I'm going to have a lot of time to think about NBA. I just saw my schedule, so it's not going to be a lot of off time. But obviously, yeah. Not just this game, this series. I think you can see the championship team the Warriors are, and we've got to learn how to be that. They were amazing every game. They were there and really they deserved to win.

Q. What did you learn about yourself and about your teammates during this playoff run?

LUKA DONCIC: Nothing new. Nothing new. I mean, we knew we were able to do this. I know nobody had us here, but nothing new.

I love this team. I think we did a great job. From the whole playoff we fought. At the end it was impossible, but I really enjoyed playing with those guys.

Q. Do you look back at Game 2 and you guys blew the 19-point lead and how different this series could have been?

LUKA DONCIC: Yeah, it would have been way different probably, yeah.

Q. You made it clear that your only goal is to win a championship or championships. How do you feel about the path this franchise is on to make that possible?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, great. Honestly, great. I think we are a young team. I don't know, DP is the oldest. I don't know how old is he. Boban, yeah, Boban is oldest. He looks young. He looks young.

But I think great. I think this year we made a huge, huge step, maybe a couple steps. I think we are in a great way.

Obviously there's a lot of things to do, but I think, like I say, we made a huge step, and I think we are on a great path.

Q. Your list of accomplishments at 23 is pretty incredible; what's the next step for you? I know this is fresh losing, but what do you look at for yourself and saying, hey, for me to elevate my game even higher, I need to do this?

LUKA DONCIC: Defense. I think defense has got to be way better for me. Honestly, I think I made a huge step this year defensively, but there's so much room for improvement. I've got to be way better there. I think that's one spot that can take us to the next level.

Q. When you talk about the buy-in factor for you and your teammates in terms of what Jason Kidd preached to you guys, how would you describe it, and what do you think it will mean for this team moving forward?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, like I say, I think we made a huge step this year. I think our defense was way better, and that's all I've got to say.

I think he's doing a great job -- not just him as head coach, but the whole coaching staff is doing a great job, and I think we're going in the right way. I'm really glad we got him, and like I said, we made a huge step this year.

Q. How would you describe your relationship with Jason?

LUKA DONCIC: Great relationship. Like I was saying, he's been through this. He's been through the bad, he's been through the good. He was a play maker, amazing vision, and he was a leader. He knows what this is about. He understands us players, and it's a great relationship.

Q. As far as areas where you can get better, Jason mentioned the 82-game season, the long playoff run. Did you learn something about health-wise and pacing-wise how to be at your best when it matters most?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, obviously you can improve in everything, you know, every time. Obviously I've got a lot of ways to improve, but that's true. Basically I didn't stop playing basketball since the start of last season NBA. I'm going to take probably one week off basketball (laughter) and then back to it. But you've got to stay healthy. You've got to -- the healthiness is the most important thing in basketball. If you're not healthy you're not going to play, so I think this is the most important.