Luka Doncic was not happy with some of the calls against him after fouling out in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
The East Coast side now have a 3-0 lead in the series and are within one game of the Championship after beating the Dallas Mavericks 106-99 on their home court.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown stepped up for the visiting Celtics, scoring 31 and 30 points respectively in what looked to be another routine victory in the first three quarters.
Boston led 91-70 at the start of the fourth quarter having gone on a 20-5 run but the Mavs rallied with the support of a furious crowd behind them.
After pulling it back to 93-90, the game stayed at that score for nearly three minutes but after Doncic picked up his sixth foul of the game and was ruled out for the remaining minutes, things were always going to be difficult.
He said after the game: “We couldn’t play physical.
“I don’t want to say nothing. [But] six fouls in the NBA finals? Come on man.
Boston takes a commanding 3-0 series lead in the NBA Finals!
The #NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV continue Friday at 8:30pm/et on ABC. pic.twitter.com/6KNRvuj0ha
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2024
“It’s not over until it’s over.
“We’ve just gotta believe. It’s first to four, we’ve just got to stick together.
“We lose together, we win together, so we just gotta stick together.”
No team has ever come from 3-0 down to win the NBA Finals, but there is a first time for everything.
It was a much better night for Kyrie Irving against his former side, he led the scoring for Dallas with 35 having struggled to get going in the first two matches.
The Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis, who missed out with a leg injury having only just returned for the finals.
But the 28-year-old was not needed as Boston improved to 10-1 overall in the 2024 play-offs.
1 win away… 🏆 https://t.co/bzCHno6i07 pic.twitter.com/L35ZFiIAf3
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2024
It will take something special for the Mavericks to bring things back, but Game 4 will be on their home court and nothing but a win will suffice.
Tatum agrees that things are not over yet and urged the Celtics not to take their foot off the gas.
He said: “We’ve got to keep fighting, we can’t relax … However long it takes, that’s our motto.”
Derrick White – who scored 16 – added: “Credit to them, they never gave up.
“Obviously our execution, especially in that stretch, needs to be a lot better.
“We’ve got to be better and learn from it.”
Game 4 will take place in Dallas at 1.30am BST on Saturday and the Celtics will be crowned champions if they win.
