DONCIC PLAYS SMILING ASSASSIN

Slovenian star finds his focus as Mavericks silence Thunder; Celtics see off Cavaliers

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For a moment, Luka Doncic forgot that he loves playing basketball. He took a step back, composed himself, and went out to compete with a relaxed mind.

And that was when he was most dangerous.

On May 15, the Dallas Mavericks star led from the front with a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, as they beat Western Conference top seeds Oklahoma City 104-92 on the road.

The Thunder are now on the brink of elimination in their National Basketball Association (NBA) semi-final, play-off series after going behind 3-2.

Doncic had been furious after the Mavs surrendered the initiative in a Game 4 loss in Texas on May 13, but said a more calm approach had been the key to his latest commanding effort.

"Sometimes I forget that I love to play basketball, it's the thing I do," he said. "My mental focus was just to go out there with a smile on my face and play basketball." The Slovenian guard had struggled in this series against the Thunder, going by his high standards. Playing through an injured right knee and left ankle, he had averaged just 22 points in the first four games.