Viral Luka Doncic Beer Photo Wasn't Taken Ahead of Game 1 vs. Warriors, Mavericks Say
May 18, 2022
Fear not, Dallas Mavericks fans.
Luka Doncic will be sober for Wednesday's Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors.
After a photograph of Luka Doncic holding a beer spread across social media Wednesday, a Mavericks spokesperson said it "wasn't taken today," per TMZ Sports.
That means the Dallas star will be ready to roll as he looks to continue dominating the playoffs in what will be his first appearance in the Western Conference Finals.
While Doncic missed the first three games of his team's opening-round victory over the Utah Jazz, he has been brilliant since his return. He averaged 29.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists in the next three games while helping the Mavericks close out the Jazz and then elevated his game against the top-seeded Phoenix Suns.
He posted 32.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 2.1 steals per night across the seven contests and dazzled with a 35-point double-double in Game 7 while leading his side to a 123-90 win on the road.
The matchup with the Warriors, who have reached five of the last seven NBA Finals and won three of the first four championships in that span, will give Doncic an opportunity to further cement his stardom on a national stage.
Competing against the championship DNA of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and head coach Steve Kerr will be no easy task, but neither was eliminating the league-best Suns in such dramatic fashion.
If Doncic keeps playing at the level he has throughout the playoffs, the Mavericks may win the entire thing.
And if they do, any beer drinking will surely be celebratory.