Right after facing a disappointing 106-88 loss against the Boston Celtics, Luka Doncic was asked a question about his future plans with the Slovenian national team. His response hinted at some uncertain projects.
During the post-game press conference on Monday, when a reporter asked Doncic about the Olympic qualifier, he said, “I don’t want to talk about what’s next, man. I have some decisions to make. Just trying to get a little bit healthier. We’ll talk — we have interviews in two days, right? So I’ll give you an answer then.”
Throughout the postseason tournament, Doncic played with several injuries that have affected his health. In the first round of the playoffs, he struggled with a knee and was anticipated to be sidelined for a game or two, but he appeared in every game and led the Dallas Mavericks from the front.
Instead of getting better, things turned to the opposite side in the second round when he suffered an ankle soreness on his left foot. When he finally looked healthier after defeating the Timberwolves, Doncic got his chest hurt in their first encounter with the Cs in the NBA Finals. He was constantly on the injury list but appeared on the roster before the game.
Slovenia didn’t have much luck in last year’s FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Still, it will get an opportunity to redeem themselves in the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers, starting on July 2 against Croatia. Doncic’s appearance would give the team a huge boost to clinch a spot. However, he would require time to recover from the recent loss, even after unlocking a new accolade.
Luka Doncic Achieves Unprecedented Feat Despite Mavs Defeat
Although he didn’t consistently get much offensive help from his talented teammates, Luka Doncic gave his best performances and imprinted his name on the league’s history.
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Known for his offensive prowess, the five-time All-Star scored an average of 28.9 points per game in the 22 playoff games, the most by a player in the competition’s history. This could be speculated from the phenomenal regular season he had just before entering the tournament.
According to StatMamba, Doncic not only topped the scorers’ list but also had the highest rebounds (9.5), assists (8.1), and steals (1.9), making him the first player to do this at the NBA Playoffs.
Even before getting swept in Game 5, Doncic contributed the only double-double (28 points and 12 assists) from the Mavs’ side. Though he wasn’t rewarded for his remarkable season, his name is already up with the elite players in the league.
