After a Game 3 Finals loss in which Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic was continually hunted on defense and fouled out for the first time in his playoff career, head coach Jason Kidd called for his leading scorer to improve on that end.
"He's definitely got a bullseye on his chest, and so he's got to be able to guard," Kidd told reporters after the 106-99 loss, per Mavs Fans For Life.
He added, "They are putting him in every pick-and-roll and iso, so he's got to be able to play the game where he can rest on offense and let others carry the load."
The Celtics scored 28 points against Doncic in Game 3, by far the most against any Maverick. They shot 11-of-21 from the field and 6-of-14 from deep when matched up against the NBA scoring leader.
Doncic has been dealing with a plethora of injuries, including reportedly receiving pain-killing injections for a chest ailment.
Despite his evident discomfort, Doncic is still taking on a massive role offensively, leading the series with 74 field goals attempted, and his 28 3-point attempts more than double any other Dallas player.
With his coach emphasizing the defensive end, Doncic and the Mavericks will look to become the first team in NBA history to come back from an 0-3 series hole, with Game 4 in Dallas on Friday night.
