“Oh, my God, the refs are bad” - Luka Doncic complains about refereeing in clip from game vs the New Orleans Pelicans
Although it's been an up-and-down start to the NBA season for the Dallas Mavericks, the team still finds itself fourth in the Western Conference at 11-9. The team has struggled with inconsistent play despite brilliant play from its superstar, Luka Doncic.
Dallas was overpowering in a 139-107 win Tuesday night against the hapless New Orleans Pelicans to snap a two-game losing streak. Luka Doncic had another impressive performance as he finished with 28 points, four rebounds and 14 assists.
Although Doncic was solid as usual, his reaction to the referees during the game was the moment of the night. After a foul was called, the camera zoomed in on Doncic and caught him voicing his opinion about the performance of the referees.
"Oh, my God, the refs are bad."
A number of NBA players this year have voiced their opinion about the league's new rules. Many players who had the ability to draw fouls and free-throw attempts in previous years have voiced their displeasure with the officiating.
Doncic remains one of the most lethal offensive threats in the entire NBA, as he has the ability to take over a game at a moment's notice.
Luka Dončić had 22 points and 10 assists in the first half of tonight’s game to join Damian Lillard and Trae Young as the only players with multiple 20-point, 10-assist halves since 2018-19.
Dončić also had 20 points and 11 assists in the 1st half vs. WAS on 5/1/21. https://t.co/Zlme71evTk
Although Doncic has continued his sensational play for the Mavericks this season, he's been extremely vocal with referees over recent years. At one point last year, Doncic led the NBA in technical fouls.
The talented superstar isn't afraid to let referees know his feelings about how they are performing. It's been something Doncic has done before, as he's been known as a player who expresses himself and plays with a lot of passion and competitiveness.
Although the Doncic video clip is going to draw attention, fans should remain focused on the production he's putting up this year. The 22-year-old is averaging 25.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 45.0% from the field. The two-time All-Star, playing in his fourth season, has averaged 25.7 ppg in his career.
Doncic's presence is pivotal to the Mavericks' chances. They went 0-3 when he missed three games with an ankle injury in November.
Doncic continues to build his reputation as one of the most competitive players in the NBA, and it's unlikely he will shy away from letting officials know his opinion.
The Dallas Mavericks will face the New Orleans Pelicans again Friday night in their first game of a three-game homestand.
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