Luka Dončić had a towel draped over his head. Throughout the entire game today, he had been in a daze.
From youth teams to professional teams, from Europe to the NBA, Dončić had always been the quickest to adapt to any new environment.
No matter the competition, he had always been able to thrive and play to his heart's content.
But this time, faced with the playoffs, Dončić felt truly powerless for the first time.
The brutal game, the unprecedented intensity, and the Grizzlies' relentless, lethal barrage had left Dončić struggling to breathe.
They had been hit with a 20-0 run right out of the gate in the first quarter, and the Mavericks had been completely stunned.
After that, the Mavericks never mounted a comeback. The Grizzlies had controlled the game from start to finish, giving Dallas no opportunity whatsoever to fight back.
That was the playoffs—merciless.
So now, with the game entering the final moments of the fourth quarter, there was no need for Dončić to return to the floor.
Because at this point, the Dallas Mavericks were trailing the Grizzlies by a full 31 points!
From the very first second until now, the Mavericks had never held so much as a one-point lead. Garbage time had practically begun by the end of the first quarter.
The gap between the two sides was despair-inducing.
It was not only the Mavericks players who were despairing—Mike Breen was too. Three quarters of garbage time! He did not even know how to call the game!
Only the Grizzlies fans in attendance were enjoying themselves immensely. They did not care whether the game was exciting. As long as the team won, as long as they got to see Link, the ticket had been worth every penny.
Dončić had known this game would be