In the 2024 NBA Finals, Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum faced off, and it’s possible that they may be the most successful members of the future generation. Doncic has always been a highly anticipated prospect, but in order to gain recognition, he had to demonstrate his abilities in the NBA.
It wasn’t until a 2021 Mavs-Celts game that Tatum realized just how dangerous Luka was, according to former C’s Evan Turner and Jeff Teague. Evan Turner: “I told Jayson Tatum (my partner) about Luka’s cold demeanor first.” “This man is kind of whiny and lazy; he’s not doing enough for me.”
Look at him, bro—he’s the real deal. Luka was unconcerned about missing a regular-season game. ‘You sure he’s good?’ he exclaimed. “Bro, he’s really him,” I said to him. We won’t prevail in the clutch if it gets close. When they trail by more than two points, they declare a timeout.”Adam Caplan: Updates on Players and NFL Injuries Jeff Teague: You mentioned that he is poised to take that back step and hit the game-winning shot.
Evan Turner: “Man, while we were watching it, we learned about Luka Doncic.” Jeff Teague: “He yelled, ‘I told you!’ after hitting the shot and turning to face him.” Damn that motherf****er cold, I thought to myself. We are having a celebration, and I think, “JT, that’s some bullsh*t.” The fact that JT says, “Luka better than me,” when we enter the room is what made it so explosive. ET thought, “Damn near.” Doncic entered the NBA as a basketball prodigy, and he has proven it ever since winning Rookie of the Year in his rookie campaign. After his debut season, he has been named to the All-NBA First Team every year of his career; the 2020–21 campaign was a turning point in his rivalry with the Celtics.
Teague and Turner recount one of Luka’s two game-winning buzzer-beaters against Boston in this video. The very next season, he beat the Celtics with yet another buzzer-beater. Doncic had a 5-6 record in regular-season games and averages 29.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists against the Celtics. Against Luka’s Mavericks, Tatum averaged 26.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.
He won’t be worried about anything other than his 4-1 Playoff record versus Luka, which culminated in his first championship victory of the summer. In the 2024 NBA Finals versus Tatum’s Celtics, Luka averaged 29.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists, while Tatum averaged 22.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 7.2 assists on a pitiful 38.8% from the field, earning Finals MVP honors for teammate Jaylen Brown.
FOR MORE RECENT NEWS, CLICK HERE
Be the first to comment