Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic received his 15th technical foul of the season in Wednesday night's loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, and head coach Jason Kidd says both he and the team need to be better.
“I think it's not just him, I think it's everybody,” Kidd said after the game. “We talk about leaving the officials alone as a group. That's just something we all have to get better at. Again, in the battle and heat of the emotions of the game, sometimes it comes out. He knows, I think we all know he knows, too, that he's one away from the suspension, so he has to be better, but we all have to be better.”
It was a double whammy for Doncic, who left the game in the third quarter due to a left thigh injury, receiving a tech in the process. He finished the night with 15 points, eight assists and three rebounds over 28 minutes on the floor.
If he gets a 16th technical, it will cost him a one-game suspension, according to NBA rules.
“I'm really trying to be better,” the Slovenian said. “I think the last few games wasn't that bad.”
Luka Doncic and the Mavericks lost 113-106 on the road on Wednesday, in the second night of a back-to-back and Dallas's third game in four nights.
“If I knew, I'd do it every time,” Luka Doncic teased when asked how he could avoid getting technical fouls. “For me, it's hard. Just the passion, trying to win games but for sure, I gotta get better.”
Although Luka Doncic's MRI came back clean on Thursday, there's no timeline for his return to the court, and he said afterwards the thigh was feeling “not good.”
Jason Kidd's team doesn't play again until a home-and-home set against the Memphis Grizzlies over the weekend.
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