Second All-Star Outing "A Pleasure" For Mavs Luka Doncic

Mavs superstar Luka Doncic made his second NBA All-Star game appearance on Sunday night, staying relatively quiet among a host of other impressive performances
Dale Zanine - USA Today Sports

Mavs superstar Luka Doncic is still in the process of shaping his NBA future. That same sentiment still holds true for All-Star games as well, where the 22-year-old has remained relatively quiet through his first two outings in the event. 

Despite that, Doncic made sure to take in the experience for what it was and enjoy what it is that makes All-Star Weekend so special.

“It’s a pleasure for me,” Doncic said. “I wish some of [the Mavericks’ fans] could enjoy this and come to Atlanta to see the game, but hopefully next year.”

READ MORE: Mavs' Luka Doncic Reveals Retro View On NBA All-Star Format

Last season in his first All-Star outing, Doncic played just 17 minutes, scoring eight points on six shots, and handing out four assists. It was a conservative performance from a noticeably star-struck 21-year-old as he attempted to make his mark on an already established event. 

Unfortunately for the young Mavs star, 2021 was yet another conservative outing, as he watched Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Steph Curry carry Team LeBron to a 170-150 win over team Durant. 

Doncic, who played a team-high 32 minutes on Sunday night, managed just eight points while hitting 3-of-7 from the field and 2-of-6 from three and grabbing three rebounds. 

READ MORE: Mavs NBA Trade Target Kevin Love; An ‘Almost 3rd Star’?

Where Doncic did shine, however, was in the playmaking department, where he handed out eight assists on the evening on his way to helping Antetokunmpo take home the game's MVP award thanks to his 35 points and his perfect 16-for-16 shooting performance.

Doncic also played a major role in Curry's 28 points (22 in the first half) and Lillard's 32 points off of the bench.

Perhaps his biggest highlight of the night came in the third quarter, where he hit two threes in a span of less than a minute, helping to extend Team LeBron's lead over Durant to an ostensibly insurmountable level. 

READ MORE: Mavs Rookie Recall: Dallas Adds 2 to Roster

It was far from the most impressive or star-studded performance in his young career, but in typical fashion, Doncic was nothing but smiles. 

“It’s how I’ve been playing since I was a kid,” Doncic said. “I always want to have fun.”


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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan is the Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com, AllAggies.com, and the Managing Editor of BuckeyesNow.com and TheGroveReport.com. He is also the Editor-In-Chief of RamDigest.com and TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration.  Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network.  When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later.  Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered.  Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels, including Twitter on @MattGalatzan. For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com