What just happened? The fans looked on in disbelief as the Mavs blew their chance of beating the Jazz because of a crucial mistake in the closing seconds. With the game tied after a Klay Thompson three, all his team needed was a stop on the other end. But, a moment of confusion caused John Collins to get a wide-open game-winning dunk. And Luka Doncic took accountability for the crucial mistake after the tough loss. Unfortunately, the apology was not enough to save him from the fuming fans’ wrath.

Revealing why no one guarded Collins inside the paint, Luka said, “It was a misunderstanding. I thought I was going to go hit, and Grimes thought he was going to go hit. And it was a lob, so we misunderstood the bench. That’s on me.” There was visible confusion in the Mavs camp after Collins made the go-ahead basket, and it was clear they had made a crucial error.

Yes, they did get one final chance to tie or win the game, as there were still a few seconds left on the clock. But instead of taking the shot, Luka decided to pass the ball to Naji Marshall in the corner. Unfortunately, he shot an airball and confirmed the win for Utah. Despite the terrible miss, Doncic surprisingly did not regret his decision, “Yeah, we believe in those shots. It’s in the corner, open three, so I’ll take it any time.”

Regardless of whose fault it was, the important thing is that the Mavs’ losing streak has now extended to four. When asked what he believed the reason was behind it, Luka said, “If I would know, we wouldn’t be, right? So, I wouldn’t know.” Well, his frustration is justified as they have lost all four games with a margin of three or fewer points. But the fans are not pleased either.

NBA World roasts Luka Doncic and scoffs at LeBron James comparison

Despite his sincere apology, the fans gave Doncic an earful for his mistake. Highlighting his lack of awareness on the play, one fan wrote, “This is beyond embarrassing for Luka.” Sure enough, the Mavs could have finally snapped their losing streak had they got to stop Utah. But Collins’ wide-open shot truly impacted their morale and cost them the game.

One netizen even deemed Luka the “laziest defender” in the league and another claimed that he plays the “worst” brand of basketball. As great as Luka is on offense, it’s safe to say he is not a great defender. And there have been times when it looks like he does not even put in the effort while guarding his opponents.

Frustrated after Luka’s defensive mistake, one fan wrote, “Imagine sleeping on D in a game deciding play. Never compare this bum Luka to Bron again.” Yes, there have been comparisons between Luka and LeBron because of their offensive abilities. And Luka might even be a better scorer than Bron. But LBJ was also an elite defender in his prime, something that Doncic still needs to develop into.

Seeing Luka’s lackadaisical defense, one netizen claimed, “This is one reason Luka will never win MVP.” Well, he was a finalist to win the award last season but was edged out by Nikola Jokic. Obviously, the voters look at the overall impact of a player while casting their votes. And if Luka is not able to up his game on the defensive end, he might find it tough to add any hardware to his trophy cabinet. Do you agree?