Luka Doncic after tough Game 1 loss: 'I have to be better, that's on me' / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AP - Scanpix Credit AP - Scanpix

The Dallas Mavericks did not have their dream start to the NBA Western Conference Finals as the team lost in a resounding fashion in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors.

Talking about the match, Mavs superstar Luka Doncic took full blame for the painful loss. The guard scored only 2 of his 20 points in the second half, while the team lost the final 24 minutes by 16 points.

"They were doing a great job on me, especially in the second half," Luka explained. "I have to be better, it's on me. I have to be better for the whole group, so that's on me."

"Of course, we can do things to be better," the Slovenian wunderkind continued. "I think, during the first quarter we had a lot of open looks, the second one also, but in the second half, we didn't."

The tough start to the series changes nothing for the team, Doncic says. "I said it during the Phoenix series, we're going to believe," Doncic told the media after the game. "The confidence level is the same. It's tough to win every game, you're going to lose some but the confidence level stays the same."

What are the keys to victory in the second match? "We have to play better," the Mavericks superstar explained in simple terms. "We have to play tougher. Just like in the Phoenix series after Game 1, we have to learn from there. Game 2 was the same as Game 1, so we have to learn from that. We have to come out hard and play better."

Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals series is scheduled to take place Friday night.

Full Luka Doncic press conference:

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