Luka Doncic is having a season worthy of MVP conversation. However, he’s also having a season of technical fouls worthy of Rasheed Wallace comparisons.
Luka vowed to avoid his 16th technical foul which triggers an automatic one-game suspension, admitting that he has been “complaining way too much” this season. He collected his 15th last weekend in a upset loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Luka got a tech and was ejected late during the Kings-Mavs game
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 3, 2021
He was shook 😬 pic.twitter.com/GnN3WLgWXH
After the game Luka was quoted saying “I won’t get another one, “Don’t worry,” via ESPN.
Luka doubled down on his promise when TNT’s Ernie Johnson reminded him that he, along with Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard, are both only one incident away from being suspended with 15 techs.
“I wasn’t myself this season. Complaining way too much. I have to work on that.”
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 7, 2021
Luka checked in with the Inside guys after Dallas’ win. pic.twitter.com/5XO3E15O9r
“I realize it,” Doncic says. “It’s something that I’m not supposed to do. [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.”
Per NBA rules, players have automatically accessed a one-game suspension after receiving 16 technical fouls in the regular season. Then the player receives one-game suspensions after every two technical fouls going forward. Those totals do not carry over into the playoffs when players are suspended for one game after collecting their seventh technical foul of the postseason.
Doncic has made promises in the past, saying, “I’ve just got to learn to calm myself down and go on to the next play,” back in December of 2019. He received 13 technical fouls that year, tying for the seventh highest in the NBA.
One of Doncic’s technical fouls was rescinded by the NBA when he was penalized for yelling “And-1” against the New York Knicks on April 2nd. He has been called for 10 technical fouls in 28 games since the All-Star break.
