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By Tim McMahon, ESPN staff writer
DALLAS — Luka Doncic stared at the official in disbelief and anger after being called for his sixth foul, then turned to the Dallas Mavericks bench and demanded the official appeal the call.
After a replay review, the challenge was ruled unsuccessful and Doncic was forced to sit on the bench for 4 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Dallas was down 21 early in the fourth quarter and had pulled within three when Doncic was disqualified. On Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics, Doncic watched helplessly as the Mavs came from behind and Dallas nearly got swept.
Doncic, who fouled out for the first time in his 48 playoff games, was called for four fouls in the fourth quarter.
“We weren't physical,” Doncic said when asked about the officiating call. “I don't know. I don't want to say anything.”
“You get six fouls in the NBA Finals, and that's basically what I'm like,” Doncic said, palms up. “Come on, try harder.”
The refereeing wasn't the only source of Doncic's frustration.
Doncic started well, making 5 of his first 7 shots to help the Mavs lead by 13 in the first quarter, but the Mavs struggled offensively for much of the rest of the game. Doncic finished with 27 points on 11 of 27 shooting.
The Celtics also hounded Doncic relentlessly on defense. The Mavs star suffered a chest contusion in Game 1 and has played most of the season with a sprained right knee. Boston used Doncic as its primary defender, allowing him to score 16 points on 6-of-15 shooting, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Celtics also rotated Dallas' defense through Doncic, creating multiple opportunities.
“He definitely has a target on his chest,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “He's got to be able to play defense and understand that even if he loses, we're there to protect him and help him. Again, he's carrying a big load offensively. They're putting him in all of the pick-and-rolls and isolations. He's got to be able to make plays on offense where he can rest and put the load on other guys.”
Mavs guard Kyrie Irving, who struggled in the series opener at Boston after losing two straight games, broke out of a mini-slump with 35 points on 13-of-28 shooting.
Coach Kidd, desperate for contributors and stretching the rotation to 11 players, allowed the rest of the Mavs players to combine for just 37 points.
With Dallas leading 20-2, Doncic was called for his sixth foul after attempting a charge on Boston star Jaylen Brown down the left wing. This came just 26 seconds after Doncic's fifth foul, when he got tangled with Brown while defending a post-up.
Doncic was animated and angered by the officials after both calls, as he had done on several other occasions throughout the game.
“You've got to take a little break,” Irving said after the game when asked what message he'd have for his co-stars. “Just show some human emotion. Just give them a hug. That's it. It's easy to just blame him and say he could do better. That's easy to say. I think he knows that. But, yeah, I support him. We support him.”
Dallas finds itself in a tough spot now, with both teams trailing 3-0 for the longest time in NBA history and trailing 0-156 in the series.
“It's not over until it's over,” Doncic said. “You just have to believe.”
