Stephen A. REVEALS THIS about Luka Doncic ahead of NBA Finals 🍿 | First Take

ESPN
31 May 202412:56

Summary

TLDRIn a stunning display of basketball prowess, Luka Dončić led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 124-103. Dončić's exceptional performance, scoring 21 of his 36 points in the first quarter, set the tone for a historic playoff game. His aggressive play and trash-talking not only energized his team but demoralized the opposition, showcasing a competitive spirit reminiscent of iconic players like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. The Mavericks' victory was a testament to Dončić's ability to close out games and his potential to be recognized as the best player in the world if he secures the championship.

Takeaways

  • 🏀 Luka Doncic's Dominance: The Mavericks' star player, Luka Doncic, had a sensational performance in the Western Conference Finals, scoring 36 points with 21 of them in the first quarter alone.
  • 📊 Record-Breaking Lead: The Dallas Mavericks built the largest halftime lead by a team that had a chance to clinch an NBA Finals trip in NBA history.
  • 🔥 Aggressive Start: Doncic's aggressive play from the start took the crowd out of the game and set the tone for his team, showing leadership on the court.
  • 🗣️ Talking Trash: Luka Doncic was not only performing exceptionally but also verbally challenging his opponents during the game, demonstrating a competitive and confident attitude.
  • 🏆 Potential MVP: If Luka Doncic wins the championship, he may be considered the best player in the world, highlighting his ability to close out games.
  • 📈 Continuous Improvement: The discussion suggests that Luka has shown consistent growth and has proven himself as a 'closer' in high-pressure situations.
  • 🆚 Contrast to LeBron: The script contrasts Luka's performance and attitude with LeBron James' past struggles, emphasizing Luka's mental fortitude and ability to overcome challenges.
  • 👥 Team Effort: The Mavericks' victory was not solely due to Luka but also the contribution of other stars like Kyrie Irving, showcasing a strong team dynamic.
  • 🎯 Accurate Prediction: Stephen A Smith predicted that if Luka continues his performance and wins the championship, he will be regarded as one of the all-time greats.
  • 🚫 Shutting Down the Opponents: Luka's performance led to the Minnesota Timberwolves playing uncharacteristic basketball, showing the impact he had on the game.
  • 📊 Historic Achievement: Luka is the first player in postseason history to lead the playoffs in points, rebounds, and assists entering the finals.

Q & A

  • Who were the commentators on 'First Take' discussing in the provided transcript?

    -The commentators Stephen A Smith, Kendrick Perkins, Brian Windhorst, and Molly Qerum were discussing Luka Dončić and his performance in the Western Conference Finals.

  • What significant achievement did Luka Dončić and the Mavericks accomplish in the game discussed?

    -Luka Dončić and the Mavericks achieved a victory over the Wolves with a score of 124 to 103, which led them to reach the NBA Finals.

  • How many points did Luka Dončić score in total during the game, and what was his contribution in the first quarter?

    -Luka Dončić scored a total of 36 points in the game, with 21 of those points scored in the first quarter.

  • What was special about the halftime lead that Dallas built according to the commentators?

    -The halftime lead that Dallas built was the largest at the break by a team that had a chance to clinch a finals trip in NBA history.

  • What was the significance of Anthony Edwards' statement prior to the series, and how did it impact the game?

    -Anthony Edwards made a big-time mistake by calling out Kyrie Irving, which seemed to motivate Kyrie to play aggressively in game one.

  • How did Stephen A Smith describe Luka Dončić's performance in the Western Conference Finals?

    -Stephen A Smith described Luka Dončić's performance as sensational and associated with all-time greatness, stating it was one for the books.

  • What comparison did Stephen A Smith make between Luka Dončić and other all-time greats?

    -Stephen A Smith compared Luka Dončić's performance to the greatness of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, highlighting how Dončić was able to dominate and talk trash during the game.

  • What was Kendrick Perkins' view on Luka Dončić's mentality during the game?

    -Kendrick Perkins likened Luka Dončić's mentality to that of Kevin Garnett, embracing the role of a villain and using the crowd's energy to fuel his performance.

  • How did the commentators describe the atmosphere during Luka Dončić's performance?

    -The commentators described the atmosphere as electric, with Luka Dončić's dominance making the crowd and the opposing team feel his presence intensely.

  • What was the historical significance of Luka Dončić's statistical achievement in the playoffs?

    -Luka Dončić became the first player in postseason history to lead the playoffs in points, rebounds, and assists entering the finals.

  • How did the commentators view the Minnesota Timberwolves' performance in the game?

    -The commentators viewed the Minnesota Timberwolves' performance as disgraceful and an embarrassment, as they were unable to contend with Luka Dončić's dominance.

Outlines

00:00

🏀 Luka's Dominant Performance in Western Conference Finals

Stephen A Smith and the 'First Take' crew discuss Luka Doncic's exceptional performance in the Western Conference Finals, where the Mavericks defeated the Wolves 124-103 to advance to the NBA Finals. Doncic scored 36 points, with 21 points in the first quarter alone, and built a record-breaking 29-point halftime lead. The commentators praise Doncic's ability to energize his team and demoralize the opposition, drawing comparisons to NBA legends like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. They also highlight the trash-talking and psychological warfare that Doncic employs on the court, which adds to his intimidation factor and separates him from other superstars like LeBron James.

05:02

🗣️ Luka's Trash-Talking and Mental Fortitude

The panelists on 'First Take' continue to dissect Luka Doncic's game, focusing on his trash-talking and mental strength. They compare his mentality to that of Kevin Garnett, embracing the role of a villain and using it to his advantage. The discussion includes how Doncic's approach differs from LeBron James' during his earlier career, where LeBron faced criticism for not taking the last shot in crucial moments. The commentators also reflect on the atmosphere in Minnesota during the game, how the fans' excitement was quickly quelled by Doncic's onslaught, and how his performance left a lasting impression on the Timberwolves and their fans.

10:03

🏆 Luka's Playoff Records and Closing Mentality

The final paragraph of the 'First Take' script emphasizes Luka Doncic's closing mentality and his ability to perform under pressure. The commentators agree that Doncic has proven himself as a 'closer' in high-stakes games, unlike some other superstars who have struggled with this aspect of the game. They recount how Doncic's attitude and response to trash-talking from the Minnesota Timberwolves set the tone for the game, and how he used it as fuel to dominate on the court. The summary concludes with a remarkable statistic: Luka is the first player in postseason history to lead in points, rebounds, and assists entering the finals.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic is a professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He is a key figure in this video's narrative as he is praised for his exceptional performance in the Western Conference Finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. His ability to score and lead his team to victory is highlighted, particularly his scoring 21 of his 36 points in the first quarter and his overall contribution to the Mavericks' success.

💡Western Conference Finals

The Western Conference Finals is the NBA playoff series that determines the Western Conference champion and their advancement to the NBA Finals. In the context of this video, it is the series where Luka Doncic and the Mavericks secured their place in the NBA Finals by defeating the Timberwolves with a score of 124-103.

💡MVP

MVP stands for 'Most Valuable Player,' an award given to the best player in the NBA. While not explicitly stated in the transcript, Luka Doncic's performance is likened to that of an MVP, given his significant impact on the game's outcome and his team's success in reaching the NBA Finals.

💡NBA Finals

The NBA Finals is the championship series of the NBA, where the winners of the Eastern and Western Conferences compete. The script discusses the Mavericks' achievement in reaching this prestigious final series after their victory in the Western Conference Finals.

💡Performance

In the context of this video, 'performance' refers to the on-court actions and achievements of the players, particularly Luka Doncic. His 'sensational performance' is a recurring theme, with specific mention of his scoring ability and leadership during the game.

💡Leadership

Leadership in this video is showcased through Luka Doncic's actions on the court. It is highlighted how he took control of the game, motivating his teammates, and demonstrating a strong presence that influenced the outcome of the match.

💡Elimination Games

Elimination games are matches in the NBA playoffs where the losing team is eliminated from the tournament. The script mentions that the Timberwolves had a perfect record in elimination games prior to their loss in the Western Conference Finals.

💡Anthony Edwards

Anthony Edwards is a professional basketball player for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the video, he is mentioned in the context of his previous performance against Kyrie Irving and his role in the Timberwolves' games leading up to the Western Conference Finals.

💡Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving is a professional basketball player who, at the time of the video, played alongside Luka Doncic on the Dallas Mavericks. He is highlighted as one of the 'two superstars' contributing to the Mavericks' victory, with a specific mention of his aggressive play in response to a challenge.

💡Franchise Player

A franchise player is a term used to describe a star athlete who is central to a team's success and identity. The video discusses Luka Doncic in this context, emphasizing his importance to the Mavericks and his potential to be considered the best player in the world if he leads his team to a championship.

💡Postseason

The postseason in the NBA refers to the playoff games that occur after the conclusion of the regular season. The script mentions Luka Doncic's historical achievement of leading the playoffs in points, rebounds, and assists, entering the NBA Finals.

Highlights

MVP Luka Doncic and the Mavericks beat the Wolves 124-103 to reach the NBA Finals.

Luka scored 21 of his 36 points in the first quarter, building a 29-point halftime lead, the largest in NBA history for a team clinching a finals trip.

Stephen A Smith praises Luka's performance as sensational and associated with all-time greatness.

Luka's performance is compared to the level of Kobe and MJ, showcasing his greatness.

Anthony Edwards made a mistake by calling out Kyrie Irving, which led to an aggressive response from Kyrie in game one.

Luka had 12 points in the first two minutes and 53 seconds, outscoring Minnesota by himself in the first quarter.

Kyrie Irving performed exceptionally well in the second quarter, contributing to the game's outcome.

The Minnesota Timberwolves' performance was described as disgraceful, while the Dallas Mavericks' victory was called an annihilation.

If Luka wins the championship, he might be considered the best player in the world.

Kendrick Perkins emphasizes the importance of Luka closing the deal to be recognized among the greats like Giannis and others.

Luka displayed a mentality similar to Kevin Garnett, embracing the role of a villain and performing exceptionally.

The atmosphere in Minneapolis during the game was described as electric, with Luka dominating and the crowd silenced.

Luka's performance is compared to LeBron James' in 2012, but with a different attitude and approach.

Luka's attitude and performance are described as wanting to bring pain to the opponents and making them feel it.

Luka is the first player in postseason history to lead in points, rebounds, and assists entering the finals.

Transcripts

00:00

Stephen A said the match up is set good

00:02

morning everyone welcome into first take

00:03

thank you for being with us on this

00:05

Feelgood Friday Kendrick Perkins Brian

00:08

wior Stephen A Smith I'm Molly carum hi

00:12

everybody what's up what's up how y'all

00:15

doing amazing amazing let's get right

00:17

into it guys Western Conference Finals

00:19

MVP Luka donic and the Mavericks buried

00:22

the Wolves 124 103 last night to reach

00:24

the NBA Finals Don scored 21 of his 36

00:27

points in the first quarter and Dallas

00:29

built a 29p halftime lead the largest at

00:32

the break by a team that had a chance to

00:34

clinch a finals trip in NBA history Luca

00:38

is special that's for

00:40

sure man I I was enjoying it just like

00:43

everyone else was uh he had 20 points I

00:45

think in like six minutes or seven

00:47

minutes and you're just watching a

00:48

special performance take place it's a

00:50

good feeling man I can't lie uh just go

00:53

out there and you know it's us against

00:56

them uh just stay together um but that

01:00

feeling that feeling is great where he

01:02

took the crowd out of the game right off

01:03

the bat um and he let his teammates know

01:06

that it's time you know that we got to

01:08

take it up a notch you know as a leader

01:10

that's what you need on the road uh

01:12

against a very talented team uh to let

01:14

them know that it was going to be hard

01:15

tonight and he he definitely did

01:19

that Stephen A how impressive was Luca's

01:24

performance oh it was a sensational

01:26

performance it was um it was the kind of

01:29

performance that that that comes

01:31

associated with alltime greatness it's

01:33

one for the books uh we're never going

01:35

to forget what we saw in the in in in

01:38

the Western Conference Finals from Luca

01:39

last night there's no question about it

01:41

because let's call it what it is you

01:43

start the series off with with Anthony

01:46

Edwards mistakenly calling out just

01:48

making a big- Time Mistake by calling

01:51

out Kyrie Irving basically saying I got

01:53

him I got him okay so you know you had

01:55

to pay for that early in game one when

01:57

Kyrie came out Ultra aggressive and took

02:00

it to him uh but you know they learned

02:02

from the era of their ways they down 03

02:04

they come back they win game four

02:06

Anthony Edwards and call Anthony Town

02:08

show up and you were expecting them to

02:10

come out energized and ready to go but

02:12

then I knew there was cause to pause and

02:14

there was a reason for trepidation

02:16

because that damn jayen McDaniels opened

02:18

his mouth talking about how they could

02:20

win three straight and all of this other

02:22

stuff and you know how Luca really

02:23

didn't do anything special and then Luca

02:25

went out and bust their living ass

02:27

that's really what happened we going to

02:29

call this what it is that was an ass

02:31

whipping right there he listen he had 12

02:34

points in the first two minutes and 53

02:36

seconds of the game he had 12 points

02:39

okay he outscored Minnesota by himself

02:42

in the first quarter he turns around

02:45

takes a break and then Kyrie says it's

02:47

my turn and then goes five for five in

02:50

the second quarter and giving it to him

02:52

and I mean the game was over it was an

02:55

embarrassment it was a disgraceful

02:58

performance by the Minnesota timber

02:59

wolves but it was also an Annihilation

03:02

by the Dallas Maverick's courtesy of

03:04

their two superstars in Luca donic and

03:07

obviously Kyrie Irvin Luca was

03:10

Sensational we're going to look at him

03:12

particularly if he wins the championship

03:15

and we're going to probably be calling

03:17

him the best player in the world because

03:20

he will have closed I heard Kendrick

03:22

Perkins earlier talking about you got to

03:24

close first and I completely agree with

03:27

him because joic closed first Giannis

03:30

closed first the same is applicable to

03:33

Luca but if Luca ends up closing the

03:37

deal and it's a good possibility he can

03:40

do it we're going to look at last

03:42

night's performance and how he was

03:44

looking at Minnesota's bench y'all

03:46

talking smack to them while he was

03:49

busting ass man talking to him looking

03:52

at him screaming at him calling him out

03:55

on the court this ain't after the game

03:57

this ain't before this is while he was

03:59

giving it to them and literally snatch

04:02

their hearts out their chest when you

04:05

talk about the greatness of the Kobes

04:07

the MJS and people like that when you

04:09

talk about what we were seeing from

04:11

Anthony Edwards against Phoenix against

04:13

Denver we saw that last night on another

04:17

level from Luca donic there's no denying

04:21

it I agree I agree look that was one of

04:24

the greatest performances I've ever seen

04:27

in NBA history and here's why it's not

04:30

what he did it's how he did it and

04:33

Stephen A just talked about this point

04:36

where Not only was he giving them that

04:38

work but he was talking to them while he

04:41

was doing it and he wasn't calling them

04:44

good names right he was going at them

04:47

people so when I think about franchise

04:49

players and I think about the people

04:50

that I play with this was a Kevin Garnet

04:54

type mentality that Luca has right well

04:57

you're watching him I used to watch k

04:59

and I used to say man what is wrong with

05:01

you before the game when he talking to

05:03

himself saying oh you talking about me I

05:05

don't like you and I'm like who are you

05:07

talking to he's finding ways to get

05:09

himself going where he's like you know

05:12

what I don't like them I don't like the

05:14

people in the stands I don't like the

05:16

people that's serving beer I embrace

05:18

this atmosphere of being the villain and

05:21

I'm going to walk into your house I'm

05:23

going to walk into your house I'mma have

05:25

muddy shoes on I'mma kick my feet up on

05:27

your coffee table and you're not going

05:29

to do do anything about it this is what

05:31

Luca dones is doing to not only the

05:34

Minnesota timberwoods but to the rest of

05:37

the league and he's letting you know

05:39

about it and he's daring somebody to say

05:41

something or do something about it

05:43

because that's going to bring the best

05:44

out of him again I don't want to jump to

05:47

conclusions and say he's the best player

05:49

in the league because I said it earlier

05:51

on get up I'm saying it now he has to

05:53

complete the mission but I will say when

05:56

it comes to being the best offensive

05:58

player in the NBA that is Luc it's no

06:01

stopping them whatsoever in Minneapolis

06:03

what it was like yesterday okay it was a

06:05

beautiful day spring is here all the

06:07

leaves are out this is what you wait for

06:09

in Minnesota for all the winter months

06:11

okay the wolves are three and 0 this

06:13

year in elimination games all right the

06:16

last time they played an elimination

06:17

game here in Minnesota they beat the

06:19

Nuggets by 45 points okay hey Chris

06:23

Finch makes This brilliant adjustment to

06:26

put ant Edwards on Luca donic Luca

06:28

doesn't handle real well in game four

06:31

for two days everybody including me is

06:33

going maybe maybe this switch has

06:35

something going everybody shows up in

06:37

white Molly there was some men wearing

06:39

white jeans last night that really

06:41

shouldn't have been doing it but they

06:42

were so excited about it they already

06:45

had their plans for the weekend okay

06:49

Saturday all day was going to be at the

06:51

pool was going to be at the lake house

06:53

and Saturday night they were going to

06:54

watch the wolves go into Dallas and play

06:56

for the series in game six okay that's

06:58

what Luca walk into and five or eight

07:01

minutes into that game when he hit that

07:03

fourth three-pointer and Minnesota had

07:05

to call another timeout and he already

07:07

had 17 points in Minnesota only had

07:09

eight as a team and he was screaming the

07:12

only sound in that building was Luca

07:14

screaming they didn't even have the the

07:16

music ready it was just quiet it was

07:19

Luca screaming I'm telling you I know

07:22

people make fun of me because I always

07:23

bring up LeBron James but that's my

07:25

frame of reference I was transported

07:28

back to that night in in Boston Garden

07:30

in 2012 when the when the heat were down

07:33

3-2 in that series LeBron was on The

07:35

Chopping Block for maybe losing again

07:38

and the first quarter Stephen A you

07:40

remember LeBron killed him killed him

07:43

with those jump shots I don't remember

07:44

how many he had he had like 20 but it

07:46

was basically over in the first quarter

07:48

that's what Luca did he broke them he

07:51

broke the fans he broke the game

07:54

operations he broke the you know the the

07:57

spirit and he broke everybody's plan on

08:00

Saturday night he did it all and he did

08:02

it in no time and man was it amazing to

08:05

watch well Wendy I love that story let

08:09

me piggyback off of that for two of my

08:11

brothers that I love talking basketball

08:13

with and break down the significance of

08:17

lucer and how different it was from

08:21

LeBron despite the similarities you just

08:24

touched on LeBron at that time had F had

08:29

failed to have won a championship he was

08:32

knocking on the door nobody expected him

08:34

to beat the Spurs but the year earlier

08:36

there was no excuse for losing to the

08:38

Dallas

08:39

Mavericks you had essentially choked in

08:42

the fourth quarter of those games when

08:45

JJ no disrespect but here's the bottom

08:48

line LeBron James is a 69 at the time

08:52

250 pound mammoth of a man he's probably

08:54

a little bit bigger now all right you do

08:57

not allow a JJ B

08:59

or Jason Terry to be guarding you in the

09:02

post but that's what he did okay so

09:05

that's what happened to him in those

09:07

games and coming off of losing in that

09:11

NBA Finals I would refresh your memory

09:14

the following Allstar Weekend if I

09:17

remember correctly was when he had the

09:19

ball in his hands it's an exhibition

09:22

game and you're having fun and Kobe is

09:26

guarding you and this man decides to

09:29

throw throw the ball in the corner to

09:30

Carmelo and turns the ball over to the

09:33

point where Carmelo Kobe and D Wade all

09:38

walked over to get in his face what you

09:40

pass the ball for what's the matter with

09:43

you take that shot it you know because

09:46

it was an exhibition game what is your

09:47

problem he was that mentally warped so

09:51

then he goes into Boston and he looks

09:54

like a man possessed so you got all of

09:56

these demons the choking the being

09:58

scared and all of this stuff that he was

10:00

being accused of and he had to overcome

10:02

those demons that ain't Luca Luca's

10:06

proven a long time ago he Ain had that

10:08

problem he's proven a long time ago he's

10:10

a closer his attitude was his attitude

10:14

was different his attitude was different

10:16

big perk Luca went in there and he heard

10:19

what Jaden McDaniel said he heard what

10:22

Anthony Edward said before the season he

10:24

heard Minnesota chirping like y'all had

10:27

done something and he said yo we up

10:30

three 0 we had a mulligan we you know

10:33

y'all got us in game four you escape

10:36

with that one and now y'all chirping

10:38

like this yo kai I'mma give you yours

10:42

but I need you to move out the way PJ

10:45

and Gafford and lot of yo y'all I I I

10:48

need y'all to move out the way I'mma

10:51

bust these boys ass right here right now

10:55

I'mma give it to them I'mma humble them

10:57

I'm going to ruin their entire off seon

11:00

because I'm going to leave them with a

11:02

memory they ain't going to be able to

11:04

shake the entire offseason because they

11:08

opened their damn mouths that's the

11:11

difference between what LeBron said what

11:14

LeBron did rather and what Luca did last

11:18

night do you

11:21

agree I do oh I agree 100% I agree 100%

11:26

and here's the here's the best thing

11:27

about Luca he he's trying to bring

11:31

opponent pain he wants you to feel pain

11:34

he want to tell you about it and he

11:36

wants you to feel it he wants you to

11:38

lose sleep at night they're going to

11:40

remember look Minnesota had a successful

11:43

season I was wrong I thought Minnesota

11:45

was going to win game five in great

11:47

fashion and they were heading back to uh

11:49

Dallas for a game six Luca stood on

11:52

business and did exactly what a

11:54

franchise guy a guy that's getting paid

11:57

big bucks supposed to do come into that

12:00

game on the road and set the tone I mean

12:04

look I was sitting there and I couldn't

12:05

even say nothing when I was watching the

12:07

game last night I was speechless

12:09

literally I was speechless and I was in

12:11

awe I just had to applaud him he made

12:13

Minnesota tap out he made them tap out

12:17

he made them start doing

12:18

uncharacteristic type things he started

12:20

making them play selfish basketball

12:22

because they was trying to get back into

12:24

the game they just have zero answer they

12:26

had a zero answer for Luca nobody in the

12:29

league could stop Luca the only person

12:32

that could stop Luca is

12:34

Luca absolutely and I'll leave you guys

12:36

with this Luca is the first player in

12:38

postseason history to lead the playoffs

12:40

in points rebounds and assists entering

12:43

the finals

12:48

[Music]