The Los Angeles Lakers were looking to bounce back against the Brooklyn Nets without their leading star, LeBron James, on the floor. However, Luka Doncic and the shorthanded Lakers fell short 111-108, marking their second straight loss.
In addition to James, the Lakers were without Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and Dorian Finney–Smith, leaving a depleted lineup to face a tough challenge. Despite the adversity, Doncic delivered a triple-double, recording 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Still, it wasn’t enough to secure the win for JJ Redick’s squad.
What particularly stood out to Doncic, however, were the referees. After the game, he voiced his frustration about what he perceived as unfair officiating and a lack of calls in favor of the Lakers.
“Yeah, I mean in the end… It was a lot. I think it wasn’t fair. But you just gotta play the game. I gotta keep playing the game, but it was a lot man, I ain’t gonna lie,” Doncic said during the postgame press conference. “I’m not gonna say anything. You know? I think everybody saw the game, so they know what happened“.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after a call during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Former NBA player offers Doncic advice on managing referee complaints
This isn’t the first time Luka Doncic has expressed frustration with the officiating during his tenure with the Lakers. Earlier this season, in a game against his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic was hit with a technical foul just minutes into the matchup after protesting a no-call.
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Former NBA player Chandler Parsons weighed in on the issue, advising Doncic to tone down his interactions with officials to avoid earning a bad reputation that could hurt him in critical playoff moments.
“He does have to find a way to reel it in a little bit with the refs because you don’t want to get that reputation amongst that group of referees to where you’re definitely not gonna get a call come playoff time,” Parsons shared during an episode of Run It Back.
Doncic reflects on his performance against the Nets
While Doncic recorded a triple-double, his shooting performance was subpar, going just 8-of-26 from the field and 3-of-10 from beyond the arc. The Slovenian star acknowledged his struggles and took responsibility for the loss while also praising his teammates’ efforts.
“I think I should’ve helped more, but they all played great,” Doncic admitted. “And we gotta have the same mentality moving forward”. He also addressed the impact of injuries but refused to use them as an excuse for the defeat. “Injuries are gonna happen and it’s just gotta be next man up mentality,” he added.
