Mavs' Luka Doncic Loves OKC Thunder's Hostile Arena: 'It Gets Me Going'

The OKC Thunder has strong home court advantage, but it only fuels Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic.

May 15, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) runs down the / Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder took a 104-92 loss against the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 to fall down 3-2 in the second round of the NBA playoffs. Evidently, the team hasn't had any offensive rhythm since Game 1, and the Mavericks, to their credit, have done an incredible job on the defensive end to give them the series advantage.

En route to a road victory, Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic poured in 31 points on 12-of-22 shooting, his best offensive game this series. The numbers aren't as eye-popping as Doncic is capable of putting up, but he controlled the game with his offense.

Even with the Thunder's rowdy home court, which reined in "Luka sucks!" chants on occasion throughout this series, Doncic is unbothered. In fact, he enjoys the rowdy environment as it gets him going on the court. It's fuel for the Mavericks superstar.

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“I love it. And when they chant, ‘Luka sucks,’ it gets me going,” Doncic said after the Mavericks victory.

The I-35 rivalry is real and brewing. The biggest difference in this series is that the Mavericks have playoff experience. Kyrie Irving, an NBA Champion, is 13-0 in closeout games. Doncic has been battle-tested in every which way throughout his young career.

It's more than likely the Mavericks close this series out and the Thunder has to hit the drawing board. Fortunately, they're a young squad. They've got every avenue to grow and get better, whether it be through development, trades or even the draft, and that should leave fans hopeful.

The Mavericks are just a gauntlet right now. Doncic, even dealing with injury, is a powerhouse on offense. Irving is among the most skilled players in the league, and the team is still a brick wall defensively. They're absolutely rolling, and the No. 1-seeded Thunder are feeling the effects of it.

Again, there's still a sliver of hope for the Thunder. They've got a Game 6 game where they can steal a victory on the road and bring a Game 7 back to Oklahoma City. Still, they've got to execute. It's as simple as knocking down shots. They've gotten good looks, they just need to trust each other and trust their work and get back to being the team that's atop the league in 3-point shooting.

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