They say the game recognizes the game, so when Luka Doncic ran down the tunnel after winning Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals, he received congratulations from Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs tight end was in the building Sunday night alongside his quarterback and Dallas-area native Patrick Mahomes, as well as his wife Brittany.
After Doncic dropped 33 points in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he noticed Kelce and they shook hands and quickly hugged each other before sharing a few words.
Kelce and company enjoyed a fantastic game that went down to the wire in Dallas, as the Mavericks cruised to a 116-107 victory and a commanding 3-0 series lead over Minnesota.
Doncic and teammate Kyrie Irving scored 33 points that night while shooting at least 50 percent or better from the field.
Travis Kelce and Luka Doncic greeted each other after the Mavericks’ victory over the Timberwolves
Luka Doncic (left) and Kyrie Irving (right) dropped 33 points in the winning effort.
Meanwhile, Minnesota was led by a 26-point effort from Anthony Edwards on a night in which the Timberwolves struggled behind the arc. His teammate Karl-Anthony Towns struggled: he took eight 3-point attempts and missed all of them.
Dallas finished the game on a 12-3 run, winning a fifth straight playoff game after rookie center Dereck Lively II left with a sprained neck.
Lively was accidentally shot in the back of the head from Towns’ knee.
No team in NBA playoff history has come back from being down 3-0. Game 4 is Tuesday night in Dallas.
PJ Washington started the decisive run with a corner 3-pointer after Doncic passed to Irving, who sent the ball to Washington.
The co-stars took over from there.
Doncic shot at the line for a four-point lead, Irving drove the crowd wild with a falling jumper and Doncic found Daniel Gafford for an alley-oop dunk and a 113-105 lead with 34 seconds left. Gafford blocked Mike Conley’s layup attempt at the other end.