![Luke and Rudy]()
You'd think four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert could've gotten a better contest on Luka Doncic's winning shot in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Alas, that's what happens when the
man voted most overrated by his peers is carried this deep into the playoffs by his teammates, only to be left on an island in a big spot against a genuine elite player.
OK bitter Rudy DPOY rant/running bit over. Credit where it's due, because to be realer for a second, Luka would make almost anyone on the planet in this situation look silly. But you can also tell Luka felt a type of way, and wanted
all the smoke from Gobert after he drained what turned out to be the winning shot right in his eye.
https://twitter.com/WorldWideWob/status/1794206956795871366
Yeah, it's pretty clear what Luka said there in a moment that went viral across the NBA Twittersphere, instantly adding a signature chapter to the growing Luka legend. Now, the Dallas Mavericks are two wins away from an NBA Finals berth with the series heading back home. The only thing more impressive about Luka's greatness in crunch time, and his triple-double line of 32-10-13, is the fact that he's doing all this with a sprained knee and an ankle injury while under maximum scrutiny and pressure. Legacy conversations are already underway despite Luka having turned 25 less than a few months ago.
How's this for legacy? If he and Dallas can keep this up, there will be no more lopsided casual rooting interest in NBA Finals history than a prospective matchup with the Boston Celtics. The best part is that Luka has a blunt way about him, and a dry sense of humor that jibes with his IDGAF playing style that gives him the stones to raise up and shoot that final shot. Case in point: Addressing his heated words to Gobert at the postgame podium:
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1794236551586873637
It's so awesome to see Luka show out like this, letting his game and his personality shine as he drags the Mavs further than anyone expected as a fifth seed. Maybe we all should've known this was coming a while back. When
Allen Iverson is publicly giving you your flowers, well, it's the classic case of real recognizing real.
Remember what happened at this time last year? Dallas' bold move to trade for Kyrie Irving at the expense of much of the rest of their rotation looked like a disaster. After going to the Conference Finals the season before, the Mavs didn't even make the playoffs. Kyrie is
Aaron Rodgers level of Looney Tunes when he speaks out on any sort of public issues — perhaps even more extreme. Unlike Rodgers, though, Kyrie wore out his welcome with not one, not two, but three different teams in his career before landing on Luka's squad.
All of a sudden, Kyrie has become sensible. One of the few athletes who needed to, you know, shut up and dribble. He's been an exemplary teammate. A suitable sidekick to the Mavs' face of the franchise. Give Kyrie some props for changing, but we should also acknowledge Luka is a great leader who doesn't seem fazed by the outside noise no matter what's going on. All of that culminated in Friday night's big shot. The biggest of Luka's life to date. Here's hoping there are many more, because he's so much damn fun to watch.
https://twitter.com/NationMffl/status/1794218122179662037
https://twitter.com/jga41agher/status/1794219725918023704
Check the highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_qoZn-duHQ
