Luka Doncic always wears his heart on his sleeve in every minute he spends on the hardwood, and that was certainly the case during the Los Angeles Lakers' 110-97 win over the New York Knicks at home on Sunday.
While everything ended well and in good spirits for the Lakers, Doncic had some distinct moments of frustration towards the officiating – even appearing to point money towards the referees at one point, indicating they were on his opponents' payroll.
Doncic isn't the most skilled defensive player, so when he tries, he wants to get the least amount of reward. With about 4:30 remaining in the third quarter of Sunday's game, he tried to charge rookie forward Mohamed Diarra on a three-on-two fastbreak, but the officials did not blow their whistle. He made the above provocative gesture immediately after that no-call.
Immediately after the game, the Lakers star made it known He told ESPN's Malika Andrews that he faced two charges that night – one that counted, and one that didn't.
(Fast forward to 0:20 of the video.)
Official fee charged? 1. But records show Luca faced 2 charges (according to him ???).
Now how can the Lakers turn what they showed against New York into a consistent defensive identity?
Fun post-game interview with Luca pic.twitter.com/qd96xgVsYO
- Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) 8 March 2026
Charges and blocks can be some of the most blatant calls in basketball, so there is always uncertainty in such games. But let's say: Doncic is at least willing to put his body on the line in keeping with the Lakers' defensive principles.
Luka Doncic leads Lakers to big win without LeBron James
LeBron James has been battling arthritis, which kept him out of the Lakers' lineup on Sunday. not to worry; The Lakers still won comfortably, with Doncic recording 35 points and Austin Reaves supporting him with his 25 points.
The Lakers did a good job of forcing turnovers (the Knicks had 18 on the night), and they also kept them quiet from beyond the arc, allowing only eight triples on the night.
