Mavericks star Luka Doncic “probably shouldn't have” called for a heckling fan to be ejected from Wednesday's game, a day after he got into a confrontation with an ESPN reporter while discussing the incident. he said.
“The whole game, it was just a little bit,” Doncic said in an interview Thursday on “NBA on TNT.” “But I was really disappointed that we lost. I twisted my ankle in the first half and I was really emotional. I probably shouldn't have done that.
“Maybe I shouldn't have done that because I admit when I'm wrong. But it was just the whole game going on.”
This was just the latest example of growing frustration for the Mavericks.
They have lost three straight and five of their last seven games, including a 132-109 loss to Dallas in which Devin Booker collected 46 points and Doncic led the Mavericks with 34 points.
Their efforts to reach the postseason didn't materialize last year despite acquiring Kyrie Irving from the Nets before the trade deadline, but they're currently the 24-year-old's eighth seed in the Western Conference. Only. Going into the game on Friday the 20th.
And in the third quarter on Wednesday, a Suns fan sitting near the center of the court reportedly heckled Doncic during the first half, yelling, “Luka, I'm tired!” Put your butt on the treadmill!
Doncic appeared to ask, gesturing twice to security officials. According to ESPN —The paper reported that the ejection was due to a Suns fan voluntarily leaving the game.
When asked about the incident after the game, Doncic, who averaged a career-best 33.6 points per game, criticized the ESPN reporter who asked the question for always being “the first one to say bad things about me.”
According to ESPN, he participated in the game voluntarily. Screen capture via X/@espn_macmahon
The 24-year-old star later responded to a question about why he didn't ask fans wearing Booker jerseys to not allow the toss in the first half, adding that he had no intention of ejecting the crowd. I had tickets, but I had enough. It's a bit of a frustration. ”
Booker did not say to ESPN whether he would offer future tickets to fans, but added that the Suns guard “will keep us informed.”
“Thank you for the support,” Booker told the outlet. “I don't know what he said. I hope he doesn't cross the line too far.”
The Mavericks will play the Hawks in Atlanta on Friday, while the Suns will look to win their seventh straight game against the Pacers.
