NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS

June 12, 2024

Luka Doncic

Dallas Mavericks

Game 3: Postgame

Boston Celtics 106, Dallas Mavericks 99

Q. Luka, I know elephant hunting is a big part of your guys' offensive strategy. How does it feel from your perspective to be that on Boston's side of things and what kind responsibility do you think you can take to improve in that area moving forward?

LUKA DONCIC: It's okay. Every time they draw it, basically call a foul. I try to be better. So got to get better.

Q. Take us through your emotions when you foul out of the game and you see your team trying to fight back into it.

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, yeah, we had a good chance. We were close. Just didn't get it. I wish I was out there.

Q. Luka, what did you think of the whistles that went against you in the fourth quarter?

LUKA DONCIC: I mean, I don't know. We couldn't play physical. I don't know. I don't want to say nothing. You know, six fouls in the NBA Finals, basically I'm like this (motions with palms out). C'mon, man. Better than that.

Q. You guys came out cooking in the first quarter. What happened to bog down the offense? What happened to make scoring more difficult?

LUKA DONCIC: I think we should have just kept playing with the same energy, keep the same people in. We were rolling down there.

But then they came back. At some point we were down 21, too, in the fourth quarter and we came back. We're still going to believe until the end.

Q. We know you've only fouled out three times in the NBA. Have you ever had four fouls called on you in that short of a span?

LUKA DONCIC: Not really. Never happened to me, I remember.

Q. What did you do right to turn around the game?

LUKA DONCIC: Just playing with pace. We played good defense and we played with pace, just driving, kicking. That's how we got back into the game.

Q. You mentioned staying positive. Scoring seems to be a big issue for you guys. Besides think positive, what can you do?

LUKA DONCIC: I think we got to figure out some things. We played three times against them now, so we're getting to know them.

But I think being down 21 in the third game and then coming back was a really positive thing for us.

Q. I think the number is 156 teams have been down 3-0 in a series; not one has come back yet. Having come so close tonight, how do you get into the right mindset to get one on the board in Game 4?

LUKA DONCIC: Like I said, it's not over till it's over. We just got to believe. Like I always say, it's first to four. We're going to stay together. We lose together, we win together. So we got to stay together.

Q. Four years ago Jerry West had a lot of really nice things to say about you, projected how great you were going to be. What did that mean to you when he said that, and what were your thoughts about his passing?

LUKA DONCIC: Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't see what he said. I don't know.

But he was a legend. We all going to miss him. He's the logo, so... He was an amazing player. I wasn't born yet, but I saw some highlights. He was an amazing player.