WATCH: Luka Doncic berates NBA ref with NSFW taunt after no call in Mavericks vs Bulls
Luka Doncic's red-hot 30+ point triple-double streak came to an end on Monday night at the United Center when the Chicago Bulls hosted them. However, it didn't stop him from propping up a 27-point triple-double, as the Dallas Mavericks tamed the Bulls 127-92 to hold on to their eighth place in the West. The game wasn't without its share of drama. Doncic was upset with the referee for a no-call and let the latter known with an expletive-filled taunt.
With 6:09 left in the fourth quarter, Doncic hit the bench as his Mavs teammates looked at him when he went on a rant. The visitors had a healthy 111-78 lead when the guard was subbed out. He let out a string of NSFW expletives soon after.
“F*****g hater b***h a*”
On the game front, it was an all-round effort from Dallas to record a much-needed win. Daniel Gafford added 20 points and seven rebounds while Dereck Lively II came off the bench to pour 22 points. The Bulls failed to come up with substantial contributions, with Onuralp Bitim top-scoring with 17 points. DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic had quiet evenings with 13 points each.
Luka Doncic and DeMar DeRozan named West and East Players of the Week
Leading up to the contest between the two teams, Luka Doncic's scorching form saw him get named the Western Conference's Player of the Week. The Slovenian averaged 37.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 10.7 assists in Week 20, as he had records tumbling. Overall, he is propping up 34.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 9.9 assists to help the Dallas Mavericks right the ship as they look to finish above the eighth seed they are placed in.
DeMar DeRozan had a string of games that saw him dominate the fourth quarter with his midrange sniping. The forward averaged 29.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, helping the Bulls end with a 3-1 run in Week 20.
The Bulls continue to hold on to the ninth spot and are still aiming to hit the elusive .500 mark. They are 31-34 with their recent loss against the Mavs. The latter are just one win ahead of the LA Lakers and trail the sixth-placed Phoenix Suns by one win.
Up next, Luka Doncic and Dallas have a formidable three-game challenge that sees them take on the Golden State Warriors, OKC Thunder, and the Denver Nuggets. The OKC contest will be an away game while the other two are home contests.