Recap Pod: 'BANG!' - Luka Doncic Lift Mavs Over Clippers in OT

Luka Doncic, who was questionable before the game began, played the best game of his young career, as he single-handedly beat the Los Angeles Clippers at the buzzer in Game 4 to help the Dallas Mavericks tie the series at 2-2.

Dalton Trigg | Aug 23, 2020

"BANG! BANG! IT'S GOOD! DONCIC WINS THE GAME AT THE BUZZER!”

Those words from the great Mike Breen captured all the emotions from the Dallas Mavericks' thrilling 135-133 overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4. Luka Doncic, who was questionable to even play in the game due to an ankle injury he suffered in Game 3, came out and put on the best performance of his young career with 43 points, 17 rebounds 13 assists and some stellar defensive efforts as well. With the Mavs down one with just 3.7 seconds remaining, Doncic hit a step-back three at the buzzer to help the Mavs tie the best-of-seven series with the Clippers at 2-2. There have only been two players to finish off a 40-point playoff performance with a buzzer-beater while trailing. Those two players are Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic.

"This would have to rank pretty high up there," head coach Rick Carlisle said of Doncic's performance. "We know this kid has got a flair for the dramatic. He’s a performer as well as a great player. He’s a guy that lives for these moments and is completely fearless.

"At the end, it was all about finding a way to get the ball in his hands. The last shot was obviously a tremendous shot, but his effort the entire game — it’s just one of those things from top to bottom. It’s a 40-point triple-double with 17 rebounds or something like that. Just a phenomenal effort.

"He’s got such great heart that if he was able to feel anything close to decent, he was going to probably play today. I wasn’t going to say that publicly, but that’s what this kid is about.”

On this episode, the guys gleefully talk about the Mavs' gigantic win over the Clippers, and how this moment from Doncic will be remembered by all of us for years and years to come. This win for the Mavs is even more impressive when you consider that they had to fight all the way back from an early 21-point deficit. From Doncic's heroics, Trey Burke now becoming a top priority for the Mavs this offseason, and hoping Kristaps Porzingis is available for Game 5, Dalton and Matt talk you through all of it and much, much more! Thanks for listening!

Published Aug 23, 2020

DALTON TRIGG

Dalton Trigg is the Editor-In-Chief for Dallas Basketball, as well as the Executive Editor overseeing Inside The Rockets, Inside The Spurs, All Knicks, and The Magic Insider. He is the founder and host for the Mavs Step Back Podcast, which is a proud part of the Blue Wire podcast network. Trigg graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Business and Economic Development with a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship in 2016. After spending a few years with multiple Dallas Mavericks-related blogs, including SB Nation’s Mavs Moneyball, Trigg joined DallasBasketball.com as a staff writer in 2018 and never looked back. At the start of 2022, he was promoted to the EIC title he holds now. Through the years, Trigg 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, Mavs GM Nico Harrison, now-retired legend Dirk Nowitzki and many other current/former players and team staffers. Many of those interviews and other articles by Trigg have been aggregated by other well-known sports media websites, such as Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and others. You can find Trigg on all major social media channels, but his most prevalent platform is on Twitter. Whether it’s posting links to his DBcom work, live-tweeting Mavs games or merely giving his opinions on things going on with Dallas and the rest of the NBA, the daily content never stops rolling. For any inquiries, please email Dalton@MavsStepBack.com.