Doncic was targeted by Boston players and fans
Luka Doncic insults Celtics fan
At the time the video was recorded, the Mavericks were already down 80-62, and clearly Luka could see the writing on the wall. He had failed his team. After making a belated attempt to control his emotions better in the last two games of the series, he finally cracked, and the unlucky Celtics fan was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Of course, the short clip lacked any context, meaning the fan could have said something to Doncic before. Either way, the Slovenian’s words were unacceptable. He had been baited by talking heads and social media warriors all series and did not give in. But once Game 5 had clearly slipped away, he let the obscenities fly.
Mavericks fall short in NBA Finals
Luka’s backcourt partner Kyrie Irving faced much worse abuse from the fans in Boston, where he used to play and left on fractured terms. He never said anything back, and even dapped up the whole Celtics team and coaching staff when the final buzzer sounded, signaling the franchise’s record 18th NBA title.
In the end, both stars underwhelmed, and Dallas paid the ultimate price. Their 25-year-old superstar will learn from the 4-1 Finals defeat, but his first step in repairing his damaged reputation at the highest level will be to get a hold of his attitude.
Dallas MavericksIs Luka Doncic a bust in the Finals? Mavs star under fire for poor defense and underachievement in clutch time
