Mavs assistant coach Jamahl Mosley gave Luka Doncic a light slap on the cheek during a timeout in Saturday night's 138-122 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. This sort of behavior might seem a bit strange, but there is apparently a good explanation.

A look at the incident:

According to a report from ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Doncic will often give Mosley a shot to the ribs coming out of timeouts. Mosley's slap was simply playful retaliation.

Playful or not, the slap seemed to catch Luka's attention, as he immediately turned to Mosley with a confused look. Was this going a bit too far, perhaps?

In the end, it was Doncic leading the Mavs past the Grizzlies on Saturday. The 20-year-old star logged 29 minutes, scoring 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field (2-of-6 from beyond the arc), 14 rebounds, eight assists and two steals. 14 of his points came in the third quarter alone.

Article Continues Below
More Dallas Mavericks News
Cooper Flagg talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago.
Mavericks make obvious Cooper Flagg pre-draft moveZachary Howell ·
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center.
NBA rumors: Knicks expected to make Jason Kidd request after Tom Thibodeau firingJoey Mistretta ·
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd greets guard Luka Doncic (77) as Doncic comes off the floor during the third quarter against the LA Clippers during game six of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center.
Mavericks’ 10 best NBA Draft day moves in historySpencer See ·
Tyrese Haliburton, Kyrie Irving, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Exclusive: The surprise superstar AAU ballers picked as NBA’s Face of the LeagueChris Dodson ·
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks at the American Airlines Center.
NBA rumors: Why Tim MacMahon ‘won’t dismiss’ Jason Kidd leaving Mavericks for KnicksJason Patt ·
Charlotte Hornets guard Dennis Smith Jr. (8) looks to pass as he is defended by Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) during the first half at the Spectrum Center.
Dallas Mavericks’ 10 worst NBA Draft day mistakes in historySpencer See ·

Doncic needed just three quarters to record his stat line, as Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle sat the second-year guard while Dallas held a double-digit lead in the final period.

“It was a really good effort from start to finish,” Carlisle told ESPN after Saturday's win. “Had a real even contribution from top to bottom.”

Luka Doncic and the Mavs moved to 6-3 with their win over Memphis. Dallas will be back in action on Monday night, as they're scheduled for a matchup against the Boston Celtics.

Tip-off inside TD Garden is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with NBA TV having live broadcast coverage.