Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic rips own jersey in frustration after missed free throws
It was a frustrating first half Friday night for the Dallas Mavericks, and it showed the most on star second-year player Luka Doncic.
Trailing the Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers 73-56, Doncic hit the free-throw line for two shots with less than two minutes to play in the first half. The 20-year-old 2018-19 Rookie of the Year missed both attempts and responded by tugging his own jersey in disgust – except he pulled hard enough and long enough to rip it right down the middle, nearly to the numbers.
He was forced to play out the half in the tattered threads – certainly to Nike's chagrin – but he emerged in the third quarter with a seemingly new No. 77 jersey.
The Lakers hit the break with a 79-58 lead en route to a 129-114 win. And the frustration for the Mavericks on the night was not just limited to Doncic.
Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle was ejected in the fourth quarter protesting a referee decision.
“I played really bad,” Doncic said postgame. “I felt like I don’t know how to play basketball. It wasn’t me. I gotta get better. A lot.”
Doncic finished with 25 points on 8-for-19 shooting and pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out seven assists.
“Those are emotions and feelings that are about winning and losing,” Carlisle said of his star player's outburst. “I get it. He’s going through a lot this year. He’s going through a lot of different situations.”
Contributing: Associated Press