Sports // Golden State Warriors
Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors dives the ball against Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks in the fourth quarter in game three of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals on May 22, 2022.
Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
Andrew Wiggins’ sneaky dunk on Luka Doncic culminated in the Golden State Warriors’ 109-100 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. However, what made the play even better was the reaction the Mavericks star, along with owner Mark Cuban, had after the play was reviewed.
First, officials called the fourth-quarter dunk an offensive foul, allegedly because he reached out and touched Doncic in the face. In disbelief, Warriors coach Steve Kerr called for a challenge almost immediately.
ANDREW WIGGINS EXPLODES TO THE EDGE ON TNT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/p18kLhcf1p
— NBA (@NBA) May 23, 2022
Upon review, the offensive foul call was reversed and the team celebrated arguably Golden State’s best dunk of this postseason campaign. Not everyone in Dallas celebrated, however, as footage of Cuban and Doncic showing they were shocked by the result.
After hearing the announcement through the arena’s PA, Cuban placed his hands on his head and then clasped them together in a prayer position for an extended period of time. He then filed a request for review, as if asking Dallas to contest the challenge.
Here’s Mark Cuban reacting to officers reversing offensive foul call on Andrew Wiggins’ poster dunk on Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/50Sl9bh9Mw
— Gabe Fernandez (@thelatinochild) May 23, 2022
Doncic was just as incredulous. He threw up his hands, placed them on his face as he began to laugh in disbelief, then placed them on his head before speaking to an officer.
And here’s Luke’s reaction pic.twitter.com/S33qgomhOm
— Gabe Fernandez (@thelatinochild) May 23, 2022
The Wiggins dunk comparisons drawn to the Baron Davis poster of Andrei Kirilenko during the 2007 playoffs, better known as the We Believe era. Davis said he was a fan of the Wiggins poster:
Hang the poster on the wall #dubs
Say a prayer for the victim 😂 #physically— Baron Davis (@BaronDavis) May 23, 2022
Gabe Fernandez is a sports reporter for SFGATE. You can reach him at [email protected].