The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Round 2 series against the Dallas Mavericks brought a new level of intensity to the game, as Lu Dort quickly became the target of Dallas fans. Dort’s physical brand of defense, which includes fighting over screens and closely guarding Luka Doncic, didn’t sit well with opposing fans. Throughout the series, Dort received loud boos every time he played in Dallas during the playoff matchup. Whenever he was called for a foul, the Mavericks crowd cheered loudly, making Dort the object of their disdain.
This was the first time in Dort’s career that he faced such intense booing from an opposing crowd in a road playoff environment. Despite the negative fan reaction, Dort emphasized that his main goal is to make things difficult for his opponents on the court. He found it amusing when the Dallas crowd cheered after a foul was called on him, but he didn’t let it affect his performance. Instead, he continued to play aggressively and focus on his game without paying too much attention to the fan reactions. This level-headed response from Dort showcases his maturity and professionalism in handling the situation.
During the interview, Dort also mentioned that he had never experienced such hostility from opposing fans before and expressed surprise at their reaction to his defensive style of play. However, he remained focused on his job and continued to perform at a high level throughout the series. His physical brand of defense proved effective in limiting Doncic’s scoring output and contributed significantly to the Thunder’s overall performance on the court. Despite their differences in playing styles and personalities, both players showed great respect for each other after their season-ending loss.
The intense battles between these two teams are likely to continue in future seasons as they are both expected to remain competitive in their respective conferences. Both teams have shown strong performances so far this year and are poised to contend for a title in upcoming seasons.
Overall, Lu Dort has proven himself as an important player for Oklahoma City Thunder with his physical brand of defense and dedication towards helping his teammates succeed on court despite facing opposition from some of Dallas Mavericks fans who saw him as their next villain during this season’s Round 2 series matchup against them.
