DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Mavericks star Luka Doncic and coach Rick Carlisle were both ejected in Sunday night's 111-99 loss to the Sacramento Kings. But while Carlisle's ejection was easily warranted, the NBA community was left perplexed over how Doncic came to pick up his 14th and 15th technical fouls of the season.
With 31.8 seconds left in the game and the Mavs down 110-97, coach Rick Carlisle called timeout and was subsequently ejected after furiously expressing his displeasure with official P.J. Washington over a non-call.
But that's when things got strange. When Doncic and his teammates returned to the floor, official Rodney Mott, who gave Doncic his first technical (we'll get to that one in a moment), informed Doncic that he had also been ejected.
Based on Doncic's reaction, he had no idea what he had done to receive his second technical foul, nor was he initially informed that he had been ejected. The Mavs broadcasters had no clue what had transpired either, and the media and fans were likewise left dumbfounded on social media.
"It's something we've been making him aware of," Carlisle said of Doncic's technical foul count. "Look, I set a poor example tonight by getting two myself. So that's on me. I apologized to the team after the game for it, too. It's not the right example.
"I've got four technicals this year; they're all from the same guy. So (laughs) I'm not sure exactly what that says, but there's a saying, 'reasonable men have a right to disagree,' so I'll stick with that."
Following the game, Doncic was asked if he had any idea why he was tossed?
"No, but I guess when it was timeout I threw the ball to the basket. I guess it was because of that. But if you get a tech for that, I don't know."
In a pool report made available to the media after the game, Mott explained that Doncic's second technical "was called for throwing the ball due to frustrations of a call. Throwing the ball, the length of the court in an overt manner which is also an unsportsmanlike technical foul."
As for that explanation, it was pointed out on social media by Mavs reporter Bobby Karalla that Doncic often heaves the ball down the court several times per game, and it's likely that he was doing just that and not in response to his coach getting thrown out.
An @espn_macmahon and NBA collab on the pool report on Doncic's two technicals. Again, he throws the ball the length of the floor like five times a game. I don't know about this one but based on the situation, who knows. pic.twitter.com/FFYNVwQE3w
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) May 3, 2021
The Mavericks are very likely to appeal both technicals with Doncic just one technical foul away from receiving a one-game suspension. Doncic even told reporters that he believes both of his technicals should be rescinded.
"I won't get another one, don't worry," Doncic said. "The first one (Sunday night) should be rescinded, too. I'll just leave it at that."
As for what happened on the first one, Mott told MacMahon: "After a correct call, offensive foul, and in transition, he runs past me and he screams 'Hell, no' as he shakes his fist. Which is a disrespectful response to a referee, that is unsportsmanlike."
Replay evidence of the play appears to show Doncic express his displeasure with the call, however, he doesn't appear to "shake his fist" at the official.
Even more perplexing is the idea that a player was given a technical foul for saying, "hell no."
Strictly observational analysis: One thing that happens even more than full-length Doncic heaves every night is guys yelling "hell, no." That's like a possession-by-possession thing.
— Bobby Karalla (@bobbykaralla) May 3, 2021
"It was an offensive foul and I was like 'Hell, no,' Doncic said. "He told me I cannot tell him 'Hell, no.' Maybe I can tell it to others, but to him, no, that's not OK."
We'll see how it all plays out.
