Luka Doncic Advised to Follow Jayson Tatum Blue Print to Get Over Complaining to NBA Referees

Udonis Haslem urges Luka Doncic to 'stop whining' to officials in order for the Lakers to reach their ceiling.

Luka Doncic Advised to Follow Jayson Tatum Blue Print to Get Over Complaining to NBA Referees

Udonis Haslem on Luka Doncic (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Luka Doncic's complaints to referees have drawn criticism from analysts and former players.
  • He received his 15th technical foul of the season for arguing a missed call during a game.
  • Doncic's constant whining has been labeled "unwatchable" by NBA analyst Zach Lowe.

The Los Angeles Lakers, led by Luka Doncic, have been inconsistent since the turn of the year. The Lakers took on the Denver Nuggets in a highly anticipated clash between two strong contenders from the Western Conference.

In the end, the Nuggets came out on top as they registered a 120-113 victory over the Lakers at the Ball Arena. The loss put an end to the Lakers’ three-match winning streak.

Their record dropped to 37-25 as they sit at sixth place in the Western Conference standings and remain in contention for a direct playoff qualification. Meanwhile, the Nuggets are in fifth place in the standings with a 39-24 record and are now 1.5 games ahead of the Lakers.

Since joining the Lakers at the trade deadline last year, Luka Doncic has been the focal point of this team as the Lakers’ front office prepares for life in the post-LeBron James era. The Lakers guard leads the league in scoring and is currently averaging 32.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists in 50 appearances.

While Doncic is in the MVP conversations and is undoubtedly one of the most skilled players in the league, he is constantly nagging officials whenever calls do not go in his favor. It is something that has become more rampant this season, and several personalities have called him out for it in recent months.

Former NBA champion Udonis Haslem had some advice for the Lakers superstar on NBA on Prime.

The next step of evolution for Luka, stop whining. Stop complaining to the refs. Your not gonna beg your way to a title or cry your way to a championship. I remember this with a young Tatum, and he has evolved and make these changes. When we were in those battles with the Celtics, as soon as he start complaining to the refs I’d tell our guys ‘now we got him.

This is not the first time that Doncic has been criticized for his incessant complaining to the referees. It is something that has remained an issue for the 26-year-old for a while now, and he does not look like he will be stopping anytime soon.

Luka Doncic picked up his 15th technical foul of the season

On Thursday night, Doncic picked up his 15th technical foul of the season for yelling at a referee after a missed call on a midrange attempt. This is Doncic’s eighth season in the NBA, and he has received 15 technical fouls twice during his time with the Dallas Mavericks. This season, he has received 15 with still 20 games to go.

In his post-match press conference, the Slovenian questioned the officials as to why he was penalized while other players were not.

Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic (Image credits – Los Angeles Times)

I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn’t get a tech. And that’s my problem. I was trying not to talk at all. This is the first thing I said, no warning or nothing.

Doncic is just one technical foul away from a one-game suspension. The Lakers are scheduled to host the Indiana Pacers on Friday. With the Pacers struggling this season, the Lakers may decide not to risk playing the 26-year-old as they have some tough matches ahead.

Zach Lowe slams Luka Doncic for “unwatchable” complaining to refs

This season, Doncic is averaging a league-best 10.3 shots from the free throw line. However, despite his eye-popping numbers, it seems he is not content with the whistles he’s getting, often whining about the lack of calls.

NBA analyst Zach Lowe feels Doncic’s constant antics make him “unwatchable” this season.

The whining. It’s back. Luka’s complaining has reached new heights — peak, slash nadir, Dallas levels. It’s every play. Just play, man. Not everything is a foul. Are you playing to draw a foul or playing basketball? Which one are you doing? Are you playing 1 on 1 with the refs? It’s every possession now. It’s completely out of control. It’s unwatchable.

Doncic has been under fire lately. While emotions do take over in the heat of the moment, he will need to do better in keeping his emotions in check as the season progresses, or it will do his team more harm than good.

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