Skip to content

Doncic critical of himself after Game 5 elimination: 'I played terrible'

Tom Pennington / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic shouldered responsibility after the Golden State Warriors eliminated his team from the postseason Thursday.

"I don't like losing, especially like this," Doncic said following the 120-110 Game 5 loss, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "I played terrible."

The 23-year-old point guard led the Mavericks to the Western Conference finals, the team's deepest playoff run since winning an NBA championship in 2011.

Doncic scored 28 points in Thursday's loss, though he posted his lowest shooting percentage (35.7%) since Game 1 of the series and second-worst of his entire 2022 postseason run. He also struggled to hit from deep in Game 5, going just 3-of-13.

The three-time All-Star was critical of his own performance, but he had plenty of praise for his team's overall effort.

"If we talk about our season, I'm really proud of this team - everybody, every player, every staff member," Doncic said. "Nobody had us here. But I promise we fought until the end. Congratulations to Warriors. They were obviously the better team. But I'm really proud of this team."

Doncic averaged 31.7 points on 45.5% shooting this postseason. However, he said he'll need to improve his defense if he wants to take the next step.

"I think defense has got to be way better for me," Doncic said. "Honestly, I think I made a huge step this year defensively, but there's so much room for improvement. I've got to be way better there. I think that's one spot that can take us to the next level."

Doncic put up 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per contest during the 2021-22 regular season to help the Mavericks win 52 games.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox