Luka Doncic was trying to enjoy a job well done. His Dallas Mavericks had just earned an NBA Finals berth by knocking off the Minnesota Timberwolves in game 5, 124-103.
Doncic led the way with 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. As such, he clearly felt he earned himself a celebratory beer for the effort.
Mavericks executive Michael Finley though, crashed the party.
Video shows Luka Doncic holding a can of beer and celebrating with his father, only to watch as Finley comes along and rips it out of his hand.
The Mavs star appears confused, makes a very fleeting effort to get it back, and kind of shrugs a bit before giving up.
Luka Doncic and his father, Sasa, after the Dallas Mavericks clinched a spot in the NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/fbqhft2G6B
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) May 31, 2024
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Luke Doncic And The Stoen Beer
It’s tough to say why the Mavs executive grabbed the beer out of Luka Doncic’s hand. Maybe he thought it was bad optics. Maybe he didn’t feel it would be helpful for his player’s health.
Or maybe he wanted it for himself. Tough to say, but it’s probably the optics.
Doncic, as the New York Post points out, has been under scrutiny at times for his weight, coming into the season at 260 lbs.
Earlier this NBA season, he had a fan ejected from the arena for heckling him. What did the fan say? The final straw appears to have been a taunt that Doncic seemed winded and needed to “get (his) ass on the treadmill.”
Will The Mavericks Be Celebrating After The Finals?
The Boston Celtics, the top team in the Eastern Conference, are facing the Dallas Mavericks, the Western Conference champions, in the 2024 NBA Finals. The series begins on June 6th.
The Celtics are favored to win the Finals.
But if Luka Doncic can will his team to a victory in June, they’ll certainly be in another celebratory mood. Will they crack open a few beers? Champagne bottles even?
Maybe then Finley will allow the team to indulge.
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