It didn’t take long for Rudy Gobert to find out.
In fact, the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year was reprimanded by Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic moments after he hit the game-winning shot after taking Gobert out with 3.8 seconds left in Dallas’ 109-108 win over the Timberwolves on Friday night.
“Motherfucker!” Doncic was caught yelling at the Minnesota center on the TNT broadcast.
“You don’t deserve to guard me!” With that crucial play, the Slovenian superstar recorded a triple-double with 32 points, plus 13 assists and 10 rebounds, giving the Mavericks a 2-0 lead in their final Western Conference series.
“I just thought about getting back to my spot and taking a step back. I’m confident in that shot,” Doncic told reporters after the win.
Gobert was by no means inferior statistically — he had 16 points and 10 rebounds on the night — but he was unlucky in some iconic Game 2 moments.
“I can’t move fast, but I can move faster than him,” Doncic said of Gobert.
Doncic’s role in playoff lore was solidified when Naz Reid’s last-ditch buzzer-beater effort bounced off the rim and put Minnesota in dire straits in Game 3 on Sunday.
“You see Luka, he loves that stage. He doesn’t shy away from it,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said. “I thought he was great the whole game. He brought the team together. He brought the energy.”
Game 3 will be played on Sunday in Dallas, where the Mavs will look to build on their commanding 3-0 lead.
