According to Dončić: ‘Every game we lose, it’s a missed opportunity’

BOSTON – Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Dončić didn’t particularly care for a reporter’s desire to divide Sunday’s 105-98 loss to the Boston Celtics into different analytic categories.

Getting down to the brass tacks of why the Mavs are mired in an 0-2 hole in this best-of-seven series in the NBA Finals against the Celtics, Dončić simply said: “Every game we lose, it’s a missed opportunity for us.”

And Sunday’s loss was a subtle missed opportunity that should give the Mavs some measure of encouragement going into Games 3, which will be Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the friendly confines of American Airlines Center. That’s because there were so many missed opportunities which could have swung the tide in the Mavs’ favor.

Despite finishing with 32 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and four steals, Dončić pointed to his eight turnovers and four missed free throws as what prevented the Mavs from getting a split in the first two games of this series at TD Garden. But others know better than to come to the same conclusion as Dončić.

“I think my turnovers and my missed free throws cost us the game,” Dončić said. “So, I’ve got to do way better in those two categories.

“But at the end of the day, we’ve got to make shots to win the game.”

It was dazzling shot-making by Dončić which kept the Mavs in the game. He wound converting 12-of-21 field goals, and also was 4-of-8 from three-point land and 4-of-8 from the free throw line.

Without the eye-popping performance from Dončić – who is playing despite a few injuries — the Mavs know they wouldn’t have been in Game 2 in the waning moments. That’s why they weren’t about to let him carry the burden of the Mavs being unable to win Sunday’s contest.

“I think Luka is a special player,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s one of, if not the best player in the world, and he causes a problem.

“He’s able to find guys. Again, (he’s) creating open opportunities and we just didn’t take advantage of it. And we’ll go back and look and see if we can get even better looks.”

Mavs guard Kyrie Irving also came to the defense of Dončić, who followed up his 30-point, 10-rebound performance in Game 1 with a triple-double in Game 2.

“We talked about this last series (against Minnesota) — he did something similar,” Irving said. “But when you’re in the Finals and you’re taking the brunt of the accountability, he definitely — he’s in the right for wanting to single himself out, but this is a team game.

“He’s not alone, and we are going to tell him that. As expected, he’s fresh off the court. He’s spilling into his emotions, feels like he could play better, just like me. I would take the brunt of the responsibility.”

Irving scored 12 points on 6-of-19 shooting in Game 1, then added 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting in Game 2.

“The first two games weren’t the best for me, especially him scoring 25-plus points, getting rebounds, getting assists, doing the intangibles,” he said. “And for me, I’ve always felt responsible for getting other guys comfortable out there, too. It’s on all of us.

“I’m pretty sure if you hear what everybody has to say, they will say that they can do something better, but I think the message right now is just get our bearings together. We lost by seven points. We don’t want to take the total number back home and say we are proud of that. We want to go home and be prepared to win games, and in order to do that we have to be ready to defend this good Boston Celtics team.”

MAVS CHEF IN A HOT CONTEST: Mavs chef, Alexia “Chef Lex” Grant, is in the middle of a heated race to win a prestigious contest and is hoping for some assistance.

“I entered a contest call My Favorite Chef with Carla Hall,” Chef Lex said. “She’s the host of it, and it is sponsored by the James Beard Foundation, and it is my highlight to being a chef for the Mavs and my opportunity to represent us on the East Coast, where I’m from.

“The contest is going on right now, and it’s through July. There are several rounds. I am currently in the Top 15 in my group. Every week you have the opportunity to vote for free.”

The winner of this contest will be announced next month.

Chef Lex said: “The opportunity allows for a grand prize, which is $25,000, as well as a cover of Taste of Home magazine, where I will get to highlight myself as a chef and everything that I do for the Mavs and families and for women.”

Chef Lex is encouraging those who are interested to go vote.

“The James Beard Awards are super prestigious,” Chef Lex said. “It is the Oscars of the culinary world, so all the proceeds go to founding those projects.

“All of those who want to support the James Beard Foundation, they can vote in my honor and all of the proceeds to directly to the James Beard Foundation for them to put on things like the women’s fellowship program, where they have women entrepreneurs come and learn all about how to expand their business, how to develop and grow their economic resources, how to market themselves better, as well as all of the up and coming James Beard chefs who are able to showcase and highlight where they’re from.”

BRIEFLY: Jason Kidd won a championship ring with the Mavs as a player in 2011, and he’s now trying to win one with the Mavs as a coach. Before Game 2, Kidd was asked what are some of the similarities and differences in being in the Finals as a player and a coach in terms of anticipation and control. He said: “Well, I think as a player, I mean, it’s different. But as a coach, there’s a lot of waiting when it’s spread out. So, you’ve got to be able to pace the information that you’re giving to guys. (You) don’t want to overload them too early. You have to understand that with the break in between, the off days or the days that you’re not going on the court, but they are getting stimulated to still understand they have a job to do — that’s as a coach. As a player, you’re just trying to figure out how to put yourself in a better position. If you did lose, if you did win, you’re anticipating the adjustments, what the team is going to do to try to slow you down. So, two totally different things. Again, one is — also involves the physical activity. The other one has you standing or sitting. So, definitely different.” . . . Since former Celtics guard Kyrie Irving got booed every time he touched the ball in the first two games of this series in Boston, you ever wonder if former Mavs center Kristaps Porzingis will get booed every time he touches the ball in Games 3 and 4 in Dallas? . . . The Mavs hurt themselves at the free throw line. While Boston was 19-of-20 form the charity stripe, the Mavs were just 16-of-24 from the free throw line. “The small things, you know, we have to do the small things, and that’s part of the game,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Those are points that we left on the board. And we didn’t shoot free throws well tonight, and we have to be better.”

X: @DwainPrice