By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic played great with 39 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists in Dallas’ 128-78 win over the Blazers but the Mavs star is facing a one-game suspension after getting his 17th tech foul this season.
Dallas is playing San Antonio in the last regular-season game and it might be the difference between finishing third or fourth in the West, depending on the Warriors‘ results.
Doncic was called for tech in the first quarter after complaining to referees because of a no-call. But the Slovenian believes it should be rescinded.
“If you ask me, I think 100% it should be rescinded, because it wasn’t a tech at all. No warning, no nothing. I just asked him, ‘How is that not a call?’ Hopefully, it will be [rescinded], so I can play Sunday.”
The referees gave their view of the situation as well.
“At the end of the quarter he took a shot and he felt he got fouled. He started to complain to each of the officials. When I was walking toward the table, he was 15 feet in the backcourt still complaining so he got a technical for continuously complaining.”
Luka also reached 17 tech fouls in the 2020-21 campaign but avoided suspension as two of those were rescinded.
Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 131-101 win against the Detroit Pistons as the reigning champions secured the second seed in the East. The Greek Freak posted 30 points, 13 boards, and eight assists.
As far as other noteworthy European displays go, Lauri Markkanen and Evan Fournier scored 17 each, as did Alperen Sengun and Clint Capela (14 boards) while Bogdan Bogdanovic banked in 25 points. Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 and Rudy Gobert 16 points (12 boards).
The French-American Jaylen Hoard logged 27 points, 17 boards while Georgios Kalaitzakis had 25 points, six assists, four boards.
Standings
| Eastern Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G | SRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami Heat (1) | 52 | 28 | .650 | — | 110.0 | 105.3 | 4.53 |
| Milwaukee Bucks (2) | 50 | 30 | .625 | 2.0 | 115.3 | 112.0 | 3.19 |
| Boston Celtics (3) | 50 | 31 | .617 | 2.5 | 111.4 | 104.4 | 6.68 |
| Philadelphia 76ers (4) | 49 | 31 | .613 | 3.0 | 109.6 | 107.2 | 2.43 |
| Toronto Raptors (5) | 47 | 33 | .588 | 5.0 | 109.5 | 107.0 | 2.63 |
| Chicago Bulls (6) | 45 | 35 | .563 | 7.0 | 111.4 | 111.6 | -0.28 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers (7) | 43 | 37 | .538 | 9.0 | 107.5 | 105.4 | 1.95 |
| Brooklyn Nets (8) | 42 | 38 | .525 | 10.0 | 112.6 | 112.0 | 0.62 |
| Atlanta Hawks (9) | 42 | 38 | .525 | 10.0 | 113.8 | 112.4 | 1.48 |
| Charlotte Hornets (10) | 41 | 39 | .513 | 11.0 | 115.0 | 115.0 | 0.18 |
| Washington Wizards (11) | 35 | 45 | .438 | 17.0 | 108.8 | 111.8 | -2.86 |
| New York Knicks (12) | 35 | 45 | .438 | 17.0 | 106.4 | 106.9 | -0.42 |
| Indiana Pacers (13) | 25 | 55 | .313 | 27.0 | 111.2 | 114.5 | -3.13 |
| Detroit Pistons (14) | 23 | 57 | .288 | 29.0 | 104.9 | 112.3 | -7.10 |
| Orlando Magic (15) | 21 | 60 | .259 | 31.5 | 104.0 | 112.2 | -7.99 |
| Western Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G | SRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Suns (1) | 63 | 17 | .788 | — | 115.0 | 107.3 | 7.13 |
| Memphis Grizzlies (2) | 55 | 25 | .688 | 8.0 | 115.4 | 109.5 | 5.45 |
| Golden State Warriors (3) | 51 | 29 | .638 | 12.0 | 110.9 | 105.6 | 5.32 |
| Dallas Mavericks (4) | 50 | 30 | .625 | 13.0 | 107.5 | 104.9 | 2.58 |
| Utah Jazz (5) | 48 | 32 | .600 | 15.0 | 113.8 | 107.9 | 5.54 |
| Denver Nuggets (6) | 48 | 33 | .593 | 15.5 | 112.4 | 110.0 | 2.30 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves (7) | 46 | 35 | .568 | 17.5 | 115.9 | 113.2 | 2.62 |
| Los Angeles Clippers (8) | 40 | 40 | .500 | 23.0 | 107.9 | 108.8 | -0.58 |
| New Orleans Pelicans (9) | 36 | 44 | .450 | 27.0 | 109.3 | 109.7 | -0.41 |
| San Antonio Spurs (10) | 34 | 46 | .425 | 29.0 | 113.3 | 113.0 | 0.14 |
| Los Angeles Lakers (11) | 31 | 49 | .388 | 32.0 | 111.6 | 115.0 | -3.37 |
| Sacramento Kings (12) | 29 | 51 | .363 | 34.0 | 110.4 | 115.8 | -5.32 |
| Portland Trail Blazers (13) | 27 | 53 | .338 | 36.0 | 106.9 | 115.0 | -7.87 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder (14) | 24 | 56 | .300 | 39.0 | 104.0 | 111.4 | -7.20 |
| Houston Rockets (15) | 20 | 60 | .250 | 43.0 | 109.6 | 118.1 | -8.27 |