Luka takes blame for defensive gaffe in Jazz’s game-winner over Mavs

Luka Doncic took onus for a late defensive error that allowed Utah Jazz forward John Collins to score a wide-open game-winning dunk with six seconds left Thursday.

“That was a misunderstanding,” the Dallas Mavericks star said after the 115-113 loss Thursday, courtesy of Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News. “I thought I was gonna go hit and (Quentin) Grimes thought he was gonna go hit. … We misunderstood the bench. That’s on me.”

With the game tied at 113, Collins drifted behind Doncic and found himself wide-open under the basket, setting up an easy find for Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson.

Doncic and Grimes both appeared to be shadowing Collin Sexton on the 3-point line. Center Dereck Lively, himself watching Lauri Markkanen, couldn’t rotate over in time to stop Collins’ go-ahead slam.

“Communication. There was a lapse there,” head coach Jason Kidd said when asked about the play. “It happens, and they took full advantage of it. We gotta be better.”

Dallas had one last opportunity to save itself on the final possession. However, Naji Marshall overshot a 3-point attempt at the buzzer, cementing a four-game skid that puts the Mavs at 5-7 this season. They’re now five games back of the first-place Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.

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