Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic Feels He's 'Letting Down' Kyrie Irving Against Clippers

Kyrie Irving scores 40 in a fierce comeback, yet Luka Doncic cites his own struggles in the Mavericks' 116-111 loss to the Clippers in Game 4.

Apr 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) and Dallas Mavericks / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks staged a remarkable rally in Sunday’s Game 4 against the Los Angeles Clippers, overcoming a daunting 31-point deficit. However, they fell short in the closing minutes with a 116-111 loss. The series now stands even at 2-2, leaving both teams vying for control as they head back to Los Angeles.

Kyrie Irving was the standout for Dallas, pouring in all 40 of his points after the Clippers’ dominant first quarter, including a critical layup to give the Mavericks the lead late in the game briefly. Despite Irving's heroics, Luka Doncic, hampered by right knee soreness, felt he fell short of expectations.

"I just got to help him more. I feel like I’m letting him down, so I got to be there. I got to help him more," Doncic said. "He’s giving everything he has and he’s been amazing for us the whole series."

Apr 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) and Dallas Mavericks / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

While rounding off with a triple-double of 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, Doncic struggled with his shot and defensive assignments due to his knee issues. His performance was notably less efficient than usual, impacting the Mavericks' defensive efficacy, particularly in key moments of the game. He's averaged 29.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 8.0 assists while shooting 37.7% from the floor and 30.0% from the perimeter.

The Clippers capitalized on Doncic's diminished mobility, with James Harden exploiting these matchups to score crucial points in the fourth quarter, including several pivotal floaters in the lane.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd highlighted the strategic adjustments made at halftime, aimed at containing Paul George and Harden from the perimeter after the duo had combined for an explosive 44 points in the first half.

"Living with 2s in this league doesn’t hurt you but 3s kill you – and 3s killed us this afternoon," Kidd said. "We’ve got to be better. When [James] Harden is taking 2s, it’s better than him shooting the 3. Understanding what they were shooting from 3 in the first half, you’ve got to give up something. They’re talented. We gave up the 2s – but contested 2s – and they made them. They gave us a chance to get back in the game and actually take the lead.”

Despite their efforts, the Mavericks could not sustain their momentum in the final stretch. As the Clippers regained their footing, the Mavericks faltered, particularly in rebounding and defensive transitions.

"We had to play perfect in that fourth and we just didn’t come up with the key rebounds," Kidd said. "There was one that Harden came up with an offensive rebound; we got the missed 3 but Harden came, up with the rebound. We have to be better rebounding the ball. We had the guys we wanted shooting there in the fourth. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t capitalize on it.”

Looking ahead to Game 5, the Mavericks are poised to regroup and adjust their strategies. With Irving's scoring prowess on full display and Doncic hopeful for an improved performance, Dallas aims to leverage their star power to reclaim the series lead.

As both teams prepare for the next showdown at the Crypto.com Arena, the stakes continue to escalate in this tightly contested playoff series. After playing an early afternoon game that had a quick turnaround of just one day off, the teams will have two days off before the next matchup.