VERY SAD NEWS: Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving says goodbye as he confirms this will be his last season at Dallas Mavericks as he now going to….

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving Discuss How Kawhi Leonard’s Absence Affected the Mavericks’ Preparation for Game 1 Kawhi Leonard was injured and missed the game, but Luka Doncic spoke first about the Mavericks’ unexpected loss to the Clippers.

Without Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 97-109 in Game 1 of the first round. The Mavericks were caught off guard by the Clippers’ uncertain starting lineup in Game 1 due to Kawhi’s dubious injury condition, according to Luka Doncic.

“We got ready as though he was going to play… However, that shouldn’t alter the way we think. Their approach was “next man up,” and they performed incredibly well. We have to maintain attention for the full 48 minutes because it’s the playoffs.

In addition, Kyrie Irving addressed Kawhi’s absence from the game, talking about how it could be detrimental to a team but also praising the Clippers for their quick adaptation.

Playing chess is a psychological game that involves high-level fighting and competition. There is a little mental adjustment period when a player like Kawhi, who is a major presence for their team, isn’t playing because other guys have to step up.

It appears like Kyrie and Luka are portraying Kawhi’s absence as having a greater detrimental effect on Dallas than the Clippers. The Mavericks must take responsibility for their lackluster performance in the first half of the game, which left them down by 26 points at the break.

Despite packing the stat sheet with 33 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists, Luka’s performance was lackluster and uninspired. After finishing the game with 31 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, Kyrie was the best Mavericks player. 33 points from the other Mavs players combined was never going to be sufficient, though.

In Kawhi’s absence, the Clippers distributed the workload among themselves. Paul George scored 22 points and James Harden scored 28 to help the team win. Ivica Zubac scored 20 points and pulled down 15 rebounds in a decisive victory.

The Clippers must have been discouraged going into this game since Kawhi Leonard was not playing. Due to the Mavericks’ incredible play and the Clippers’ dismal postseason performance, most people assumed the Mavericks would easily defeat the Clippers after Kawhi’s injury. However, the Clippers have seized a significant lead without Leonard even having to play due to their subpar performance.

Before Game 2, the Clippers will be ecstatic since another victory would give them a sizable lead. According to reports, Kawhi is aiming for soon, thus the Mavericks may be at a disadvantage if he plays in Games 2 or 3. I’m hoping to see a more motivated Doncic who can find ways to inspire his colleagues to do better.