GAME 5: UTA (2-3) vs. DAL (3-2)| 77-102 WIN!!!!!!

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He gets nervous before big games, he admitted recently in an interview with The Dallas Morning News, and the “butterflies in your stomach” idiom translates in Slovenian.

“Until you get on the court,” Doncic said, “and then all the energy that’s out there, it’s great to play.”

As the Mavericks return to American Airlines Center for what’s now a best-of-3 series this week, those who’ve worked closest to Doncic have a common conclusion:

Watch out, Utah Jazz.

“I’ve never met anybody as competitive as he is,” Mavericks shooting coach Peter Patton said. “Playing in these tournaments, playing these elimination-type games, he likes when the stakes are higher. It makes it more fun for him. A lot of guys are out here playing for their livelihood. He’s playing for love because he’s just so much better than everybody else.”

At halftime of the winner-goes-to-the-Games tournament final, Doncic looked around at teammates and delivered a simple message.

“All right, guys,” he said. “Let’s go to the Olympics.”

“And the rest is history,” Slovenia center Mike Tobey said.

Slovenia’s coaching staff spent hours strategizing how to make their practices tougher to keep challenging Doncic — at one point with Sekulic betting Doncic cups of coffee for makes and misses.

During the Olympic semifinal against France — featuring Utah center Rudy Gobert — Doncic repeated the same thing to Sekulic during every break, huddle and conversation:

“I want to win. I want to win. I want to win.”

After a preseason practice in October, Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall and dozens of team employees surprised second-year guard Josh Green with a ceremony to celebrate his contributions to Australia’s first-ever Olympic medal performance.
When Doncic found out, he turned to Hardaway and reminded him: “I’m in the Olympics, too.”

“I’m like, ‘Luka, you don’t have a medal, my guy,’” Hardaway said with a laugh. “Josh won.”

No consolation. Doncic was still miffed.

“I’m like, ‘Luka, you’re going to have multiple MVPs, have a whole All-Star collection, hopefully Finals, Finals MVP,’” Hardaway said. “That just shows his competitive fire.”