Stephen A. REVEALS THIS about Luka Doncic ahead of NBA Finals 🍿 | First Take
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
🏀 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.
🗣️ 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.
🏆 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
💡Western Conference Finals
💡MVP
💡NBA Finals
💡Performance
💡Leadership
💡Elimination Games
💡Anthony Edwards
💡Kyrie Irving
💡Franchise Player
💡Postseason
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
Stephen A said the match up is set good
morning everyone welcome into first take
thank you for being with us on this
Feelgood Friday Kendrick Perkins Brian
wior Stephen A Smith I'm Molly carum hi
everybody what's up what's up how y'all
doing amazing amazing let's get right
into it guys Western Conference Finals
MVP Luka donic and the Mavericks buried
the Wolves 124 103 last night to reach
the NBA Finals Don scored 21 of his 36
points in the first quarter and Dallas
built a 29p halftime lead the largest at
the break by a team that had a chance to
clinch a finals trip in NBA history Luca
is special that's for
sure man I I was enjoying it just like
everyone else was uh he had 20 points I
think in like six minutes or seven
minutes and you're just watching a
special performance take place it's a
good feeling man I can't lie uh just go
out there and you know it's us against
them uh just stay together um but that
feeling that feeling is great where he
took the crowd out of the game right off
the bat um and he let his teammates know
that it's time you know that we got to
take it up a notch you know as a leader
that's what you need on the road uh
against a very talented team uh to let
them know that it was going to be hard
tonight and he he definitely did
that Stephen A how impressive was Luca's
performance oh it was a sensational
performance it was um it was the kind of
performance that that that comes
associated with alltime greatness it's
one for the books uh we're never going
to forget what we saw in the in in in
the Western Conference Finals from Luca
last night there's no question about it
because let's call it what it is you
start the series off with with Anthony
Edwards mistakenly calling out just
making a big- Time Mistake by calling
out Kyrie Irving basically saying I got
him I got him okay so you know you had
to pay for that early in game one when
Kyrie came out Ultra aggressive and took
it to him uh but you know they learned
from the era of their ways they down 03
they come back they win game four
Anthony Edwards and call Anthony Town
show up and you were expecting them to
come out energized and ready to go but
then I knew there was cause to pause and
there was a reason for trepidation
because that damn jayen McDaniels opened
his mouth talking about how they could
win three straight and all of this other
stuff and you know how Luca really
didn't do anything special and then Luca
went out and bust their living ass
that's really what happened we going to
call this what it is that was an ass
whipping right there he listen he had 12
points in the first two minutes and 53
seconds of the game he had 12 points
okay he outscored Minnesota by himself
in the first quarter he turns around
takes a break and then Kyrie says it's
my turn and then goes five for five in
the second quarter and giving it to him
and I mean the game was over it was an
embarrassment it was a disgraceful
performance by the Minnesota timber
wolves but it was also an Annihilation
by the Dallas Maverick's courtesy of
their two superstars in Luca donic and
obviously Kyrie Irvin Luca was
Sensational we're going to look at him
particularly if he wins the championship
and we're going to probably be calling
him the best player in the world because
he will have closed I heard Kendrick
Perkins earlier talking about you got to
close first and I completely agree with
him because joic closed first Giannis
closed first the same is applicable to
Luca but if Luca ends up closing the
deal and it's a good possibility he can
do it we're going to look at last
night's performance and how he was
looking at Minnesota's bench y'all
talking smack to them while he was
busting ass man talking to him looking
at him screaming at him calling him out
on the court this ain't after the game
this ain't before this is while he was
giving it to them and literally snatch
their hearts out their chest when you
talk about the greatness of the Kobes
the MJS and people like that when you
talk about what we were seeing from
Anthony Edwards against Phoenix against
Denver we saw that last night on another
level from Luca donic there's no denying
it I agree I agree look that was one of
the greatest performances I've ever seen
in NBA history and here's why it's not
what he did it's how he did it and
Stephen A just talked about this point
where Not only was he giving them that
work but he was talking to them while he
was doing it and he wasn't calling them
good names right he was going at them
people so when I think about franchise
players and I think about the people
that I play with this was a Kevin Garnet
type mentality that Luca has right well
you're watching him I used to watch k
and I used to say man what is wrong with
you before the game when he talking to
himself saying oh you talking about me I
don't like you and I'm like who are you
talking to he's finding ways to get
himself going where he's like you know
what I don't like them I don't like the
people in the stands I don't like the
people that's serving beer I embrace
this atmosphere of being the villain and
I'm going to walk into your house I'm
going to walk into your house I'mma have
muddy shoes on I'mma kick my feet up on
your coffee table and you're not going
to do do anything about it this is what
Luca dones is doing to not only the
Minnesota timberwoods but to the rest of
the league and he's letting you know
about it and he's daring somebody to say
something or do something about it
because that's going to bring the best
out of him again I don't want to jump to
conclusions and say he's the best player
in the league because I said it earlier
on get up I'm saying it now he has to
complete the mission but I will say when
it comes to being the best offensive
player in the NBA that is Luc it's no
stopping them whatsoever in Minneapolis
what it was like yesterday okay it was a
beautiful day spring is here all the
leaves are out this is what you wait for
in Minnesota for all the winter months
okay the wolves are three and 0 this
year in elimination games all right the
last time they played an elimination
game here in Minnesota they beat the
Nuggets by 45 points okay hey Chris
Finch makes This brilliant adjustment to
put ant Edwards on Luca donic Luca
doesn't handle real well in game four
for two days everybody including me is
going maybe maybe this switch has
something going everybody shows up in
white Molly there was some men wearing
white jeans last night that really
shouldn't have been doing it but they
were so excited about it they already
had their plans for the weekend okay
Saturday all day was going to be at the
pool was going to be at the lake house
and Saturday night they were going to
watch the wolves go into Dallas and play
for the series in game six okay that's
what Luca walk into and five or eight
minutes into that game when he hit that
fourth three-pointer and Minnesota had
to call another timeout and he already
had 17 points in Minnesota only had
eight as a team and he was screaming the
only sound in that building was Luca
screaming they didn't even have the the
music ready it was just quiet it was
Luca screaming I'm telling you I know
people make fun of me because I always
bring up LeBron James but that's my
frame of reference I was transported
back to that night in in Boston Garden
in 2012 when the when the heat were down
3-2 in that series LeBron was on The
Chopping Block for maybe losing again
and the first quarter Stephen A you
remember LeBron killed him killed him
with those jump shots I don't remember
how many he had he had like 20 but it
was basically over in the first quarter
that's what Luca did he broke them he
broke the fans he broke the game
operations he broke the you know the the
spirit and he broke everybody's plan on
Saturday night he did it all and he did
it in no time and man was it amazing to
watch well Wendy I love that story let
me piggyback off of that for two of my
brothers that I love talking basketball
with and break down the significance of
lucer and how different it was from
LeBron despite the similarities you just
touched on LeBron at that time had F had
failed to have won a championship he was
knocking on the door nobody expected him
to beat the Spurs but the year earlier
there was no excuse for losing to the
Dallas
Mavericks you had essentially choked in
the fourth quarter of those games when
JJ no disrespect but here's the bottom
line LeBron James is a 69 at the time
250 pound mammoth of a man he's probably
a little bit bigger now all right you do
not allow a JJ B
or Jason Terry to be guarding you in the
post but that's what he did okay so
that's what happened to him in those
games and coming off of losing in that
NBA Finals I would refresh your memory
the following Allstar Weekend if I
remember correctly was when he had the
ball in his hands it's an exhibition
game and you're having fun and Kobe is
guarding you and this man decides to
throw throw the ball in the corner to
Carmelo and turns the ball over to the
point where Carmelo Kobe and D Wade all
walked over to get in his face what you
pass the ball for what's the matter with
you take that shot it you know because
it was an exhibition game what is your
problem he was that mentally warped so
then he goes into Boston and he looks
like a man possessed so you got all of
these demons the choking the being
scared and all of this stuff that he was
being accused of and he had to overcome
those demons that ain't Luca Luca's
proven a long time ago he Ain had that
problem he's proven a long time ago he's
a closer his attitude was his attitude
was different his attitude was different
big perk Luca went in there and he heard
what Jaden McDaniel said he heard what
Anthony Edward said before the season he
heard Minnesota chirping like y'all had
done something and he said yo we up
three 0 we had a mulligan we you know
y'all got us in game four you escape
with that one and now y'all chirping
like this yo kai I'mma give you yours
but I need you to move out the way PJ
and Gafford and lot of yo y'all I I I
need y'all to move out the way I'mma
bust these boys ass right here right now
I'mma give it to them I'mma humble them
I'm going to ruin their entire off seon
because I'm going to leave them with a
memory they ain't going to be able to
shake the entire offseason because they
opened their damn mouths that's the
difference between what LeBron said what
LeBron did rather and what Luca did last
night do you
agree I do oh I agree 100% I agree 100%
and here's the here's the best thing
about Luca he he's trying to bring
opponent pain he wants you to feel pain
he want to tell you about it and he
wants you to feel it he wants you to
lose sleep at night they're going to
remember look Minnesota had a successful
season I was wrong I thought Minnesota
was going to win game five in great
fashion and they were heading back to uh
Dallas for a game six Luca stood on
business and did exactly what a
franchise guy a guy that's getting paid
big bucks supposed to do come into that
game on the road and set the tone I mean
look I was sitting there and I couldn't
even say nothing when I was watching the
game last night I was speechless
literally I was speechless and I was in
awe I just had to applaud him he made
Minnesota tap out he made them tap out
he made them start doing
uncharacteristic type things he started
making them play selfish basketball
because they was trying to get back into
the game they just have zero answer they
had a zero answer for Luca nobody in the
league could stop Luca the only person
that could stop Luca is
Luca absolutely and I'll leave you guys
with this Luca is the first player in
postseason history to lead the playoffs
in points rebounds and assists entering
the finals
[Music]
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