"Motherfucker! You Can't Fucking Guard Me!" - Luka Doncic Had Rudy Gobert In Hell And Then Buried A Game Winning Three Right In His Eyeball To Steal Game 2
Jordan Johnson. Getty Images.(clears throat)
LUUUUUUUUUUUUKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Holy. Shit.
What a shot. What a game. What a series. We've seen Luka Magic before in the playoffs, but on the road down 2 with an opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead in the WCF before you return to Dallas? That was a different level. I love the move of going for the win given the fact that the Mavs already snagged the split, and to put the defending and 4 time DPOY on skates like that and then to bury the game winning three right in his face is big time stuff. Terrible defense by Gobert considering he had one job there which was the run Luka off the line, but sometimes great offense is simply unstoppable.
You add that with the fact that Luka is a certified killer, and that's what happens. Listen he may not be a perfect player, there may be some defensive issues at times, but late in the game when you need a big shot, especially a 3, Luka Doncic is that dude. He just is. Regular season, postseason, it doesn't matter. He's a big time shot taker and big time shot maker, arguably one of if not the best in the world at it. The Luka stepback isn't only unstoppable, it's inevitable. For him, that shot was a layup. It doesn't matter who is in front of Luka, when he's able to get to his stepback, it's over for you. Pick a zone, it doesn't matter.
I mean this dude is a demon
It's true, Rudy Gobert cannot guard Luka. Nobody on the Wolves seems to be able to, which unfortunately is a problem considering they now have the beat the Mavs 4 out of the next 5 times. Let's not even get to the part where they also can't stop Kyrie, the Mavs once again feasted in the paint and got lobs whenever they wanted. Things aren't pretty right now for the Wolves and they don't have a lot of time to figure it out.
Most importantly, another disaster game for Ant at the worst time. Couldn't make a shot to save his life, and his turnover in the final seconds is what set up the Luka game winner. This is what sucks about all the MJ/Face of the league bullshit with Ant. He's young as hell, and is going through his early growing pains, but now he's going to be slandered to hell for how he's played. At the same time, he enjoys the benefits of that discourse, so at this level, you have to come through.
Then again, it might not even matter because Luka is showing why he is that guy. Ant may have the hype, Luka has the on court dominance, and we saw it with that shot.