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Luka Doncic wants to stop drawing technical fouls for arguing with officials. He can also add “Stop drawing flagrant fouls” to his to-do list.
The young Mavericks star was given a Flagrant 2 and an automatic ejection for a hostile act toward the Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton on Sunday night. The act was a chop that landed near Sexton’s groin as the two battled for position in the lane. Officials termed the strike “aggressive.”
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Doncic’s swipe was clear on replay.
He told reporters that he didn’t mean to hit Sexton below the belt.
“After I saw the video, I knew I hit him, but it wasn’t nothing on purpose,” Doncic said, per the Dallas Morning News. “That kind of stuff happens a lot in the games, but I don’t know. That’s my explanation.”
Doncic said last week that he needs to keep himself in check and not complain so much. His realization came about as he received his 15th official technical of the season, one shy of triggering a one-game suspension (another T had been previously rescinded).
“It’s something that I’m not supposed to do,” Doncic said, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “[It’s difficult] with all the emotions in games, but obviously I’ve got to stop. It’s just hard for me on the court with all the emotions, but I realize it and I’ve got to work on this. It’s tough to do it, but I’ve got to work on it and be way better than this.”
Fortunately for Doncic, his early shower Sunday didn’t hurt the Mavs on the court and the flagrant foul won’t put him over the limit for technicals. Dallas cruised to a 124-97 victory that moved it a full game ahead of the Trail Blazers for the fifth seed in the West.
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