Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving Call Out Dallas Mavs' Defense After Loss vs. Milwaukee Bucks

Mavs superstars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving both stressed the importance for the team to achieve improvement on defense after losing to the Bucks.

MILWAUKEE — Regarding areas needing to be addressed by the Dallas Mavericks after their 132-125 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the team's superstars — Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving — pointed at the defense as a focus. 

"Just got to play better defense. That's it," Doncic said. "I don't think offense is a problem. I think we just have to play better defense."

Despite leading by as many as 12 points at one point, the Mavs gave up 43 points in the fourth quarter alone, resulting in the team unraveling down the stretch. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 15 of his 40 points in the final period, while Damian Lillard scored 10 of his 27. In the final period, when Dallas needed elevated defensive execution, Milwaukee shot 14-21 (66.7 percent) from the floor, 6-13 (46.2 percent) on 3s, and 9-10 (90.0 percent) on free throws, with only two turnovers.  

"Giannis was just torching us in the paint," Doncic said. "I don't know how many paint points he had, but he had a lot. Obviously, it's really tough to stop him, but he was just getting into the paint a lot."

Irving acknowledged there were times when he was out of position defensively, along with his teammates, particularly in the fourth quarter — resulting in a variety of timely open corner 3s, paint shots for Antetokounmpo, and trips to the free throw line. 

"We did a good job coming out of halftime with that energy and verve we normally have," Irving said. "We were playing good defensive principals, and they were making timely shots. A few times in that fourth quarter, I was out of position, or other guys were out of position defensively where we're giving up some corner 3s to some of their shooters and Giannis getting downhill, shooting a few free throws tonight."

Irving highlighted a particular example where he wanted to take personal accountability: a made 3 from Pat Connaughton in clutch time, who had two pivotal makes down the stretch for the Bucks. 

"Connaughton hit a big three in the corner on me in the fourth quarter, and I don't want to put the blame all on me, but I have to take accountability for just my mistakes that I made on the defensive end," Irving said. "To put us in a better position all-around team game defensively. You just have to be better."

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In terms of what just the fourth loss of the regular season means in the bigger picture for the Mavs, Irving characterized it as an example of the team needing to continue to find the consistency the collective seeks. 

"What I learned from tonight and even in Denver is just that we still have to mature as a team and continue to find that consistency that we talk about daily," Irving said. "And that's just doing the little things and settling into our roles, and night-to-night, it could be different people finishing the game in different lineups. We just got to be prepared. 

"Teams are going to throw their best at us. We saw that tonight against. Milwaukee, you see that against other teams," Irving explained. "But when you play against the top teams in the league, you can really use that measuring stick to propel yourself moving forward and gather all the mistakes and attack them and then move forward."

The Mavs have yet another quick turnaround before returning to action as they will compete against the Sacramento Kings on the second night of a back-to-back on Sunday at American Airlines Center. 

"There were some difference makers in that second half where we can clean up," Irving said. "Now, we just have to get ready for Sacramento — definitely lessons learned here."