They say that game recognizes game, so when Luka Doncic ran down the tunnel after winning the Western Conference Finals’ Game 3, he received congratulations from Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs tight end was in the building on Sunday night alongside his quarterback and Dallas-area native Patrick Mahomes as well as his wife Brittany.
After Doncic had dropped 33 points in the victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he noticed Kelce and they shook hands and quickly embraced before sharing some words.
Kelce and Co. were treated to a fantastic game that went down to the wire in Dallas as the Mavericks pulled away to a 116-107 win and a commanding 3-0 series lead over Minnesota.
Doncic and his teammate Kyrie Irving both dropped 33 points on the night while shooting at least 50 percent or better from the field.
Luka Doncic and Travis Kelce after the Mavericks take the 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals. pic.twitter.com/7VkS24A2M4
— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) May 27, 2024
Meanwhile, Minnesota was led by a 26 point effort from Anthony Edwards on a night where the Timberwolves struggled from behind the arc. Teammate Karl-Anthony Towns struggled – shooting eight 3-point attempts and missing all of them.
Dallas ended the game on a 12-3 run, winning a fifth playoff game in a row after rookie center Dereck Lively II left with a sprained neck.
Lively took an accidental shot to the back of the head from the knee of Towns.
No team in NBA playoff history has rallied from 3-0 down. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Dallas.
P.J. Washington started the decisive run with a corner 3-pointer after Doncic passed to Irving, who sent the ball to Washington.
The co-stars took over from there.
Doncic hit a shot in the lane for a four-point lead, Irving sent the crowd into a frenzy with on a falling-down jumper and Doncic found Daniel Gafford for an alley-oop dunk and a 113-105 lead with 34 seconds left after Gafford blocked Mike Conley’s layup attempt at the other end.