Luka Doncic Flu Game: Mavs Star Delivers Clippers’ Biggest Playoff Loss With 35/7/10 Performance

The recent playoff clash between the Mavericks and the Clippers once again saw Luka Doncic coming out on top. During his 39 minutes on the court, the Slovenian secured 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists. He delivered this score despite suffering from a knee sprain and flu-like congestion before the matchup. He also broke the record earlier held by Michael Jordan for the most consecutive 20-point games on the road in the playoffs.

Doncic’s contribution helped the Mavericks win by a score of 123-93. This 30 point-gap marks the biggest by which the Clippers have lost any of their playoff games. There was an improvement seen in Doncic’s performance right from the start of the game, as he dashed to the rim more frequently than before. His first 15 points came up after the player made 7-10 inside the arc. His total FG amounted to 14-26, while his 2-8 3Ps had a slight improvement from his two previous matchups.

Doncic’s knee sprain has been a hindrance for quite some time now. To worsen the situation, an update by reporter Grant Afseth revealed the player’s statement that he had been sick for “five to six days”. If this had been a regular season game, he might not have been in the main lineup. However, the playoffs carry a higher level of stakes. Knowing this, Doncic went ahead and delivered a performance that many would have associated with Michael Jordan’s iconic ‘Flu Game’ from back in 1997.

Furthermore, it allowed him to become the fifth player in the league’s history to have scored 30+ points in 20 or more playoff games before crossing the age of 25. Other players on the list include LeBron James, the late Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum.

After the historical ‘Flu Game’, Luka Doncic claims that “nothing” is done yet

The spotlight was on the 25-year-old Slovenian during the post-game press conference. Amidst all the questions about his individual performance, however, he made it clear that his current concern was not about celebrating his feat but looking toward the future. “Today was a very big game,” said Doncic.

“We won out of 2, so we gotta go back (to) Dallas and play the same way. Our friends are going to be amazing, so we just gotta win one more. We didn’t do nothing yet”. The Mavericks currently hold a 3-2 lead in the ongoing playoffs. One more win, and they will gain entry to Round 2. They were also at an advantage because of James Harden’s abysmal performance. However, the same may not continue to be the case going forward.

Unless Luka Doncic’s knee injury or flu situation worsens during the coming days, the player will be making himself available to lead his team during the remaining games as well.