Sunday’s premier matchup features two of the most interesting teams in basketball right now: the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks. Besides the obvious matchup between Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the game also pinned Luka Doncic against Devin Booker, and it made for quite a show.
At one point in the fourth quarter, the two got into a heated altercation that went viral online, but it’s what happened before that explains why things got so intense toward the end.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Luka told Booker to “shut the f–k up” after the Suns’ star taunted him for missing a crucial free throw down the stretch that helped the Suns win the game.
“‘Shut the f— up,’ Luka Doncic said to Devin Booker before their little face-to-face. Booker taunted Doncic for missing a layup that would have tied it up.”
“Shut the f— up,” Luka Doncic said to Devin Booker before their little face-to-face. Booker taunted Doncic for missing a layup that would have tied it up.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 5, 2023
Devin Booker has never been shy about talking trash. Earlier this season, he even got into it with 4x champion Klay Thompson during a game against the Golden State Warriors. So, it’s no surprise now that Booker, with KD on his squad, dared to challenge Luka on his home court.
But for Doncic, the situation is different. Over the past few months, fans have really started to notice his on-court temper tantrums, which often involve yelling and complaining to the referees after every call.
Does Luka Doncic Have Maturity Issues?
Between the refs and trash-talking with Devin Booker, Luka let himself get distracted and a very winnable game finally slipped away.
Unfortunately, that’s been the norm for Doncic this season, as even his coach Jason Kidd has had to call him out on his antics recently.
“I’m not the savior here. I’m not playing. I’m watching, just like you guys. As a team, we’ve got to mature,” said Kidd after a recent Mavs loss. “We’ve got to grow up.”
While Kyrie Irving may be the experienced veteran of the Mavericks, it’s Doncic who ultimately leads the show. The Mavs will follow in his footsteps, and he sets the tone for how they play the game.
Today, and many game days this season, Luka has let his frustration become a distraction and hindrance to his team and it’s hard to see them going anywhere if he can’t control himself when things aren’t going his way.
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