Statements
Luka Doncic fouled out of Game 3 with 4:12 remaining in the fourth quarter. Doncic fouled out while trying to play defense. The Mavericks were making a comeback from down 21 points. Doncic attempted to slide in front of Jaylen Brown for a charge, but he didn’t get set in time. The whistle blew, and the play went to replay. The call was upheld. Consequently, Doncic was gone, and the Mavericks were trailing by three. Ultimately, they lost the game 106-99, with Boston now holding a 3-0 series lead. The call was very close, and it wouldn’t have been surprising if it had been overturned. It’s ironic that Doncic fouled out while defending, as his defensive play has been embarrassing in this series.
Doncic was "blown by" 13 times in Game 2, the most surrendered by a single defender in the last 10 postseasons. His slow feet and weak lateral movement have been detrimental. While Doncic has excelled in beating Jayson Tatum off the dribble on offense, Tatum has been trying defensively, whereas Doncic has not. He has been waiting to play offense instead of committing to defense, and his defensive effort in the NBA Finals has been laughable. Despite a sternum injury, this is not a valid excuse for his lackluster performance. Doncic has never been a good defender, and any improvements have been dramatized by his supporters. In this series, he has been a zero defensively, or worse—a significant detriment. The Mavericks are effectively playing four against five on defense, as Boston has been living in the paint and generating open 3s due to Doncic’s deficiencies.
Kyrie Irving is also not a good defender, which further complicates matters for Dallas. Doncic's defensive efforts have been compared to James Harden’s meme-worthy defense. He was not even close to guarding sharpshooter Sam Hauser, pointing at the opposite side of the court in a laughable display of unawareness. On several occasions, Doncic failed to be in position to help when Brown rejected a screen, offering bumbling shuffles in Brown’s direction before giving up entirely. He was caught out of place more than once, causing multiple Mavericks to converge on Brown due to his breakdowns. In transition defense, Doncic failed by staying on the ground, complaining to the referees, while the Celtics walked into another open 3-pointer. This lack of effort leaves the Mavericks outclassed by a wide margin against the Celtics.
While the defensive gap can’t be blamed solely on Doncic, nobody on the Mavericks can keep up with the Celtics. The Mavericks’ reputation as a defensive team was a mirage. Doncic is undeniably a gifted offensive player, but his defensive ineptitude in this series is too glaring to ignore. Nobody is asking Doncic to become an elite defender, but modest improvement is essential. Players like Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic have turned themselves into fine defenders despite their offensive responsibilities. In contrast, Trae Young and Damian Lillard have long been defensive liabilities. Although Doncic is better than both Young and Lillard, his defense is impossible to overlook, especially in the playoffs. His lack of defensive effort has been a significant factor in this series, which is effectively over for the Mavericks.
Quotes
Here are some pointed comments from fans and analysts:
“Many thanks to @CelticsUnite18.”
“Honestly, look at that defense. He is roaming around out there like the kid you put in right field in Little League who just picks daisies all game.”
“It is one thing to be outmatched defensively.”
“Whatever Doncic is doing, it isn't even in the same universe as trying.”
“There are players who play defense and players who wait to play offense, and Doncic is a disinterested portrait of the latter.”
“It's ridiculous.”
“I don't want to hear a word about this sternum injury.”
“You can go from a 10% to a 30% in chemistry class, but you're still a failing student.”
“Luka Doncic is better than both those guys.”
Conclusively, Doncic’s lack of defensive commitment has been a critical shortfall for the Mavericks against a dominant Boston team. While concentrating on offensive prowess, his defensive lapses have magnified, leading to a considerable gap that Dallas could not bridge. This series has highlighted the importance of a balanced game, and Doncic’s shortcomings on defense have been a stark reminder of that imperative need.