Luka Doncic trash talks way through 53-point masterpiece vs. Pistons

Luka Doncic trash talks way through 53-point masterpiece vs. Pistons

Mavericks star Luka Doncic went off in a win over the Pistons on Monday night — and couldn’t resist throwing some chirps toward the opposing bench in the process.

Things got heated late in the Mavericks’ 111-105 victory in Dallas, with Doncic, who returned after missing one game with an ankle injury, putting the finishing touches on his 53-point masterpiece (17 of 24 shooting from the field, 5 of 11 from 3-point range). During a timeout with 7.1 seconds remaining in the game, the Slovenian superstar walked over to the Pistons’ bench and started talking trash to Pistons assistant coach Jerome Allen.

Detroit players tried to separate him from the bench, including second-year forward Isaiah Livers. Doncic was unimpressed.

“Who are you?” Doncic was caught on camera yelling in Livers’ direction.

“Their assistant coach, he started chirping the first quarter,” Doncic told Bally Sports on the sideline immediately after the game. “They didn’t like it when I chirped back, they said ‘play basketball.’ If they’re going to chirp at me, I’m going to chirp back.”

“I don’t want to say the words,” Doncic added in the postgame presser. “I have no problem with that. It’s basketball. It gets me going for sure.”

The 23-year-old superstar was seen mouthing off in Allen’s direction for much of the game, including in the first quarter, when he scored 24 points in front of the Pistons’ bench. Doncic also added eight rebounds and five assists in the otherworldly performance.


Luka Doncic celebrates after scoring against the Pistons
Luka Doncic celebrates after scoring against the PistonsGetty Images
Luka Doncic gestures towards the Pistons' bench after hitting a 3-pointer
Luka Doncic gestures towards the Pistons’ bench after hitting a 3-pointerGetty Images

Pistons head coach Dwayne Casey downplayed the interactions after the game, while also sending praise in Doncic’s direction.

“It’s a bunch of nothing, a bunch of nothing,” Casey said. “We’ve seen worse. Remember I coached Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett, so that tonight was zero as far as chirping. I liked it. I thought it really got us going, and that’s the way it should be with competitive guys. Doncic is competitive as heck. I love the way he plays, the way he carries himself, and I love the way our guys responded. They weren’t intimidated. So it’s all good. It was clean, nothing dirty about it.

“It’s good if that’s what he needs to get himself going and tell himself. But he doesn’t need any help. He’s a great player without all the other stuff, but it is what it is.”

Doncic now has five career 50-point games, four of which have come this season. He torched the Knicks for a career-high 60 points on Dec. 27 in a game that went to overtime.

The Mavericks improved to 27-25 and are tied for sixth place in the Western Conference. The Pistons fell to 13-39, the worst record in the East.