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Luka Dončić Had a Wonderfully Cocky Response to a Question About His Audacious Clutch Hook Shot

Luka Doncic hit a clutch hook shot and then gave an excellent answer about it in his press conference.

Dan Gartland

Luka Dončić Had a Wonderfully Cocky Response to a Question About His Audacious Clutch Hook Shot
Luka Dončić Had a Wonderfully Cocky Response to a Question About His Audacious Clutch Hook Shot /
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Though they didn’t advance in the NBA’s in-season tournament, the Mavericks picked up a hard-fought win over the Rockets on Tuesday night behind 41 points from Luka Dončić. 

Dončić scored 12 of his 41 in the fourth quarter, including a late dagger on a shot that isn’t seen much in today’s NBA. With about a minute to play and Dallas leading by five, Dončić tried to shoot a fadeaway over Houston’s Jalen Green. But Green was able to leap high enough to get a fingertip on the ball and block the shot. After a brief scramble for possession, the ball ended up back in the hands of Dončić in the lane. 

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts to a foul call against the Houston Rockets during the second half at the American Airlines Center.
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts to a foul call against the Houston Rockets during the second half at the American Airlines Center / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

That’s when Dončić got creative and hoisted a vintage sky hook, just like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar used to do. The shot fell, dealing a serious blow to the Rockets’ comeback hopes. 

It was a difficult shot, and Dončić was asked by a reporter after the game what he was thinking when he decided to take it. His response was simple: “That I’m going to make it.”

Fair enough. 

Dončić has attempted a few hook shots in his career (61 in total, or 0.86% of his 7,018 career field goal attempts), but his tough 11-footer against the Rockets on Tuesday was his longest made hook shot of his career. It was a tough shot, but he obviously didn’t doubt it was going in. 

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Dan Gartland
DAN GARTLAND

Dan Gartland is the writer and editor of Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, covering everything an educated sports fan needs to know. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).

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