Simmons has grown weary of witnessing Doncic incessantly appeal to the referees during each play.

On the recent installment of ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast,’ the seasoned sports commentator discussed the Dallas Mavericks’ standout player Luka Doncic and expressed his exasperation with Doncic’s habit of constantly protesting to the referees. Simmons noted that he has never observed another player complain as frequently as the Slovenian does in every match.

“It feels like both of us, for as much respect and admiration we have for how talented Luka is, I think we’re starting to get annoyed by some parts of the Luka package. The amount of times he spends bitc*ing at the refs in person it’s unbelievable,” Bill explained.

He’s like doing a Mike Birbiglia one-man show for just two and a half hours yapping. Every time there’s a dead spot, it’s like he just walks over to the ref to yell about a play five minutes ago, and it’s like watching those coaches who just work the refs for the entire game, but it’s a player that’s doing it. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen somebody bit*h at the refs more than him,” Simmons added.

Doncic’s Persistent Appeals

Simmons’ assessment of Doncic’s frequent pleas to the referees resonates strongly. Observers who closely follow Luka and the Mavericks can confirm that he is arguably the most vocal complainer in the entire league. Even Jason Kidd, Doncic’s coach, has urged him to curb his incessant protests. It’s reasonable to acknowledge that the 25-year-old’s playing style likely presents a challenge for referees. Simmons contends that despite the frustration it incites, Doncic’s constant appeals serve as a motivating factor for him.

“I’m trying to think, whatever the shortlist is, he’s on it, but I don’t know if I’ve ever watched somebody like this. It seems like it fuels him and gets him going to do it, but it’s really weird. The refs are like, ‘Oh man, this f*cking guy.’ They’ve had it with him,” Simmons said.

“To me, it’s more like John McEnroe where you just know that he’s going to do it during the game or match, and it becomes part of the package that keeps people on their toes, but he’s also really hard to officiate, and so I think he uses the bitching to his advantage,” Bill added.

This season, Doncic averaged 8.7 free throw attempts per game, along with a career-high 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists. In this year’s playoffs, the five-time All-Star is third in the league in free throws attempted (8.7) per contest. If Simmons’ statement about Luka using his complaining to the referees as an advantage is true, then the superstar needs to find other ways to get himself going because this isn’t an ideal way to present yourself.

Can Luka lead the Mavs past OKC?

Speaking of Doncic and the Mavs, they currently find themselves in a gritty, tight-knit series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who just defeated the Mavericks at home on Monday to tie the series 2-2. After going up 14 and leading for most of the game, the young Thunder squad, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 34 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, put together an impressive come-from-behind performance in the second half that haltered Dallas’ offense.

Prior to Game 4, Simmons didn’t think that OKC had enough to beat this Mavericks team despite a hobbled Doncic alongside Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington, who has been huge for the Mavs in the postseason.

“I think OKC has a better team. I don’t know if they’re ready to win this series, which is a cop-out answer. I think they have more talent. Their bench is better, and I just don’t think they totally know how to win these games,” Bill said.

But on Monday, Oklahoma made a statement that they’re not going to go out easy. They may be a young team with no experience, but with SGA at the helm, this Thunder squad has shown all season that they’re very much capable of meeting the moment.

The Thunder just got home-court advantage back and are heading to OKC with momentum on their side. Let’s see which team prevails in a pivotal Game 5 on Wednesday.