Luka Dončić stands out. Even in games where things don’t always go his way, he manages to thrill and delight. Saturday’s game against the Boston Celtics was only the latest in a long line of such games.

The Celtics rallied from a 19-point hole, keeping the game close throughout the second half. The Dallas Mavericks and Dončić struggled against their on-ball pressure defence. As the back-and-forth raged in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the normally reserved—but sanguine—crowd at the American Airlines Centre came alive. They understood where the ball would go with the game on the line.

With seven seconds left in the game, Dončić brought the ball over halfcourt, tying the score at 104. Dribbling with his left hand, he moved to the left, keeping the ball between him and the sideline and away from former Mavericks player Josh Richardson. Two extra Celtic defenders waited for him above the break. They could only watch.

Luka Magic

Dončić, drifting towards the corner, pulled up and fired with 1.8 seconds left. The high-arching ball remained in the air for what seemed like far longer than two seconds. Dončić’s game-winning shot secured a 107-104 victory for the Mavericks and added to his legend.

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3 thoughts after the Dallas Mavericks defeat the Boston Celtics, 107-104

Following the game, the Mavericks, head coach Jason Kidd, and even Richardson praised Dončić’s outstanding performance. This is what they said:

Luka Dončić

“I don’t know. It was just a difficult shot. You know, it went in. Like, I just stopped for a second, I didn’t know if it went in. But I was just trying to get to my spot in the last .5 [seconds] and I got it.”

Josh Richardson

“It was a good shot. I think I guarded it pretty well. I think he’s a great player, played with him last year—seen him make game-winners quite a few times. It’s tough but you go to give credit where it’s due.”

Kristaps Porzingis

“Of course, it’s incredible. The guy is so clutch, it’s insane. The step back 3’s he’s able to knock down, it’s always fun to watch him play.”

Jason Kidd

“I’ve seen it on TV. That’s Luka. Understanding the situation, I thought the team, we talked about halftime, we knew they were going to make a run. But we kept our composure there down the stretch and got the ball to Luka. Luka did what he’s done in the past by getting his shot off. It looked good when it left. But he’s done it so many times and it’s just a beautiful thing to watch in person.”

“I’ve played with a player like that before here. Everybody knows the ball is going to 41 [Dirk Nowitzki] and he delivers. I think everyone knew the ball was going to 77 [Luka Dončić] and he delivered. I understand he loves that moment and his teammates know that. I would say that the other team knew the ball was going to Luka and there’s nothing they could do.”