NBA Rescinds Technical Foul for Dallas Mavs' Luka Doncic vs. Utah Jazz
PORTLAND — During the Dallas Mavericks' 50-point blowout victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, Luka Doncic and Kris Dunn were called for double technical fouls at the 3:30 mark of the third quarter.
During the play, Doncic and Dunn were both in the paint, waiting for a potential rebound as the Mavs attempted a 3-pointer that proved successful. Dunn pointed at Doncic, making contact with his chin, and Doncic laughed while walking away.
After the game, Doncic had a confused reaction about receiving the technical foul, expressing that all he did was laugh after Dunn pointed in his face. Dunn seemingly made contact with Doncic's chin in the process.
"I don't know. I didn't do nothing," Doncic said. "There was a little bit of pushing and that, but it wasn't a technical foul because I didn't do nothing. He puts a finger in my face, and I just laughed, so I don't know how I got a tech, but those things just happen in the game. It's just part of the game."
Doncic made history during the game, recording a 29-point triple-double before the game even reached halftime. He became the first player to record a triple-double while scoring 25 or more points in the first half of a game. The Slovenian superstar recorded 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in 32 minutes. He didn't touch the court in the fourth quarter.
Since Doncic has finished each of his previous three seasons with exactly 15 technical fouls, coming one short of the NBA's limit of 16 before being issued an automatic one-game suspension. He was set to be suspended late last season before having his 16th technical foul rescinded, allowing him to play against the Indiana Pacers.
Considering how competitive the Western Conference landscape tends to be, Doncic's running total of technical fouls tends to be essential to track. After having his latest technical foul rescinded, he drops back to having three total, placing him on track to finish well below the limit.
Doncic continues to produce dynamic results for the Mavs, averaging 31.8 points, 8.6 assists, and 8.5 rebounds in 19 games. He trails only Nikola Jokic in triple-doubles (nine) with four total.