MINNEAPOLIS — After his 32-foot step-back dagger swished through the net, Luka Doncic stared into the Target Center crowd and shouted a profane reminder to nobody in particular.
“That’s what I f—ing do,” Doncic roared after the shot he launched from near the Minnesota Timberwolves ‘ half-court logo stretched the Dallas Mavericks ‘ lead to eight points with 1:04 remaining in their 120-114 win Tuesday night.
It certainly was a familiar sight. Clutch efforts by Doncic highlighted the Mavs’ five-game victory over the Timberwolves in last season’s Western Conference finals.
“We’ve seen this movie before,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “He loves the opportunity to win the game. He’s not scared, and he stepped up and made a big shot.”
Call this a sequel. The most memorable moment of the Mavs’ run to the NBA Finals last spring occurred on the same end of the Target Center court, when Doncic danced with his dribble before drilling a Game 2-winning step-back 3-pointer over four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert .