Quote board: “I’m just really glad that I’m here and doing this”

The Dallas Mavericks got back on track Friday night by defeating the Denver Nuggets 127-99 in a really entertaining home floor blowout. Luka Doncic notched his fiftieth triple double of his career in the win and Christian Wood put on another high efficient performance. Here’s what Doncic, JaVale McGee, and Jason Kidd had to say after the really nice team performance.

Luka Doncic

LUKA DONČIĆ

(On his 50^th career triple-double…)

“It’s great. It feels amazing. … It’s a pleasure. I’m just really glad that I’m here and doing this.”

(On starting the fourth quarter…)

“It’s great, we got to make sure we win the game. I asked for it this time. [Jason Kidd] said, ‘Yeah, no problem.’ So that was it.”

(On the team’s approach tonight…)

“We kind of know [in past games this season] when the other team has superstars out that we lose a game. We’re kind of known for that, I guess. Today we had to change this. Just approach the game the same way. They have good players, they’re still a good team. They have plenty of guys who can go off without Nikola [Jokić]. I think we had to be ready, and the plan succeeded.”

JaVale McGee

(On how he felt to pull off the spin move…)

“It felt amazing. You know as a big man you usually don’t get to, well at least me personally, I don’t really to get into my bag a lot unless it’s the summer. So, it felt kind of good being able to do something else besides just catch lobs. But I love catching lobs – let me put that out there.”

(On how much lighter he is compared to when he played for Dallas last…)

“About 20 to 25 pounds. I was 280 when I was here last time and now, I’m like 255 to 260 fluctuate. It helps a lot with jumping by far. Jumping, running, like I didn’t figure that out until then. That’s the crazy part. I couldn’t gain weight and then when I got here, I was like, ‘OK I got some weight on me now.’ This was also the era of leaning away from the era of the Dwight Howards and the real dominate big men. Now, it’s going away from that unless you are talking about [Nikola] Jokić and [Joel] Embiid, but you really don’t have big men like that anymore. That season I was extremely heavy, like 280, and that was the first season I went vegan also because I had to figure out a way to lose all that weight. I can’t be 280 if I want to be successful – me personally.”

(On what he sees from Christian Wood adjusting to his role playing for Dallas…)

“Christian is just trying to play winning basketball. Like you said, this is his first team that’s slotted to make the playoffs and go far in the playoffs. So, he had some moments where he reverses back to playing, I don’t want to say losing basketball, but not winning basketball. He’s extremely professional. He works every day and he’s a scorer. He can score that thang. It’s really impressive just seeing his growth. Seeing him figure out, not his role, because his role is clearly to score, but how to get his shots, and positions, and how to also give his other teammates involved.”

(On any advice he has given to Christian Wood on transitioning from a losing team to a winning team…)

“I mean, it’s really just patience – for real – and film. Patience and film for real getting to watch yourself. It’s different when you’re out there and you see it or if you’re on the bench and you’re watching it. Then you when you watch film, you’re like, ‘OK I could have been in this spot a little earlier. I could have done this different.’ So yeah, just studying game.”

(On what it will take for Christian Wood to play winning basketball…)

“Just taking the right shots. He’s used to being on bad teams to where he could shoot any shot he wants, and no one is going to say anything. As a team, we hold everyone accountable and he’s already going to get the shots. We’re running plays for him to get the shots. Sometimes he’s in the post and he passes it and I always tell him, ‘They’re not paying you to pass out the post unless you’re getting double teamed or something,’ but he’ll pass it when he’s getting single coverage. I’m like, ‘No, go to work. This is what you’re here for – to score so don’t pass those up. If you get double teamed, OK make the right basketball play, but other than that go to work try to get a bucket.’”

Jason Kidd

(On Luka Dončić’s 50th triple-double…)

“It’s pretty impressive. He’s already re-writing the record book. That’s pretty cool – to do it, to be the second [fastest in history]. Oscar [Robertson] was pretty special, so now to be right there with Oscar, to be the second-fastest to 50, just shows you how good he is.”

(On Luka Dončić starting the fourth quarter…)

“He came by and wanted to know what we were doing, so we talked about it and we left him out there. I don’t look at the stat sheet, so I don’t know if he has a triple double or if he has 35 points. I’m going on who’s tired, and who’s making the most mistakes and how we can limit that. We talked about it. We’ve been playing him to start the fourth, so this is something we could be looking at going forward.”

(On Christian Wood’s role…)

“I think he’s comfortable. I think that you can see that he’s comfortable playing his role. He’s doing a great job for us on both ends, offense and defense. Just understanding that we’re trying to get the ball offensively because he is a talent. The nice part about that is he’s really unselfish and he’s looking to make the right play – and he’s doing that for a high level for us right now, and we need that.”

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