The NBA was quick to react to the statement of Luka Doncicwhose return to Madrid for the pre-season match between the Mavs and his former team Real, was tarnished by his injury.
“I hope to play at the Bernabeu one day »he replied about his dream place to play a match. “Maybe the NBA will bring us back to Madrid…”.
It is therefore Mark Tatum, “deputy” commissioner of the league, who in turn spoke on the subject. Adam Silver’s right-hand man confided that the possibility of organizing an NBA match in the lair of the Real Madrid football club was entirely possible!
“If the circumstances are right, we would be delighted to play there”, he said. “It also matters that it is a large market with an important tradition, like France, where the Olympic Games will take place next year. Germany, Spain and Italy are important markets for us. Some of them are conditioned by the fact that they do not have these facilities, although there are new projects. But we are open to the idea of organizing matches elsewhere.”
Beyond Luka Doncic’s dream and perhaps also the desire to cajole the Spanish public after the event organized around the Slovenian, Mark Tatum noted that the Real Madrid enclosure had just undergone an impressive facelift, making now one of the most modern stadiums in the world, in addition to having a capacity of 85,000 seats, almost five times more than WiZink Center, where Mavs and Madrid faced each other on Tuesday.
“I had the opportunity to see the new Bernabéu and it’s incredible what they have done. I saw the system with which they raise and lower the lawn. It will be a world-class stadium”he added.
Statements which will also comfort Luka Doncic, undoubtedly disappointed at not having been able to be 100% for his return to the land of his first exploits…
| Luka Doncic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | DAL | 72 | 32 | 42.7 | 32.7 | 71.3 | 1.2 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 21.2 |
| 2019-20 | DAL | 61 | 34 | 46.3 | 31.6 | 75.8 | 1.3 | 8.1 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 0.2 | 28.8 |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 66 | 34 | 47.9 | 35.0 | 73.0 | 0.8 | 7.2 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 27.7 |
| 2021-22 | DAL | 65 | 35 | 45.7 | 35.3 | 74.4 | 0.9 | 8.3 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 4.5 | 0.6 | 28.4 |
| 2022-23 | DAL | 66 | 36 | 49.6 | 34.2 | 74.2 | 0.8 | 7.8 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 32.4 |
| Total | 330 | 34 | 46.6 | 33.8 | 73.9 | 1.0 | 7.6 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 27.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
