I need to calm down - 'Passionate' Luka Doncic holds his hands up after clash with officials
by Omnisport
Luka Doncic acknowledged he needs to "calm down" after furiously confronting officials following the Dallas Mavericks' 110-106 defeat to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.
MVP candidate Doncic enjoyed a 19th straight game with at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists - the best such streak of any player since the ABA-NBA merger, surpassing the great Michael Jordan's run of 18.
But the night ended in frustrating fashion for the Mavericks star, who believed he had been fouled as he missed a shot with around five seconds left and Dallas just two points behind.
Replays appeared to show Cory Joseph making contact with Doncic's elbow, but no call was given and the Kings wrapped up victory before the 27-point star fumed at officials.
Doncic, who also had seven rebounds and eight assists, later considered his "passionate" approach might need to be reined in a little.
"My thing is that I'm passionate for the game," he said. "I want to win, and I just sometimes get out of control, because I want to win the whole time.
"I'm competitive. You can ask my family. Even if it's not basketball, if it's anything, I'm so competitive. But, yeah, I've got to work on that, for sure.
"I know how to [approach officials] but, like I say, I'm passionate. I know a lot of times I'm wrong. People are wrong sometimes, and I've just got to learn to calm myself down and go to the next play.
"[Officials] are humans, they make mistakes. I make mistakes; everybody makes mistakes. Just sometimes they don't see it and they don't call it.
"Like I said, I've got to calm down and go to the next play."