For a while, it seemed as if Luka Doncic simply could not catch a break. Granted, his time with the Los Angeles Lakers has allowed the team to establish a significant win streak, gaining victory in 9 of their last 12 games before the recent Nets matchup. Despite this, the Slovenian seemed to have been having a streak of bad luck regarding foul calls. From yelling at the referee in Serbian to the decisions getting reversed, one could feel Luka’s frustration from their television screens. Therefore, it may have been a relief for them, too, when the former Mavs superstar finally got some ‘justice’.

During the recent Lakers-Nets matchup, Luka Doncic attempted to make a layup at one point in the game while being guarded by Jalen Wilson. The Slovenian drove, attacked, and finally attempted a shot when he thought he had an opening. However, Wilson’s hands came in between and prevented the layup. Fortunately for Luka, a whistle immediately blew, granting the player a foul call.

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In typical Doncic style, he immediately raised his hands in the air, with a look of potential relief coming on his face. Even the crowd cheered, even though the game was taking place in the Brooklyn Nets’ home arena: the Barclays Center. And the Lakers broadcasters? Oh, they definitely took complete advantage of the moment, as they stated, “Luka, and that over string right now. Out of bounds it goes. Luka raises his hands as if to say, ‘Finally, he called a foul’. And you go deep. That Bronx cheer, if you will. If you could call that.”

Luka Doncic certainly needed a moment like that. If others caught just how relieved it was, then it may have been something he wanted people to see. After all, the only thing fans were seeing over the last few days were snubs and the frustration on the Slovenian’s face because of it. During the previous matchup between the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans last Tuesday, Luka Doncic fell on the floor after a play that possibly did not go his way. Worse than that, he wasn’t given a foul call he was seeking. This led to Luka looking in the direction where a referee was placed and shouted, “Mamu ti je*em”. When literally translated, it means “F**k your mom”. Yikes!

Later, during the Lakers-Celtics game, Luka kept getting hit in the face several times. Therefore, it did not help the Lakers star’s mood when he briefly drew an offensive foul on Jaylen Brown, only to have that call reversed on a coach’s challenge.

The problem did not seem to go away during the Lakers-Nets game, too. Before that brief relief, Luka Doncic attempted a shot that did not go in. He called for a foul, which wasn’t given. This led to the point guard once again yelling at the referee in Serbian. If Luka hadn’t caught a break, who knows what could have happened.

Referees’ officiating has been an issue that several NBA stars have been calling out during this ongoing season. From Anthony Edwards to Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic is not alone in feeling targeted over not being favored enough by the on-court officials. Then again, he may have given them a reason for allegedly not favoring him too much.

Luka Doncic draws a ‘disgusted’ reaction from the referee after wiping his face with the ball

During the previous game between the Lakers and the Clippers, a hilarious moment occurred when James Harden was making a free throw. After the ball went in, Luka grabbed the ball and proceeded to wipe his face with it! After that, he threw it gently in the direction of a female referee. She didn’t grab it, of course. After having a few words with the Slovenian, she called a delay of game warning. This left several players confused, including LeBron James. Then again, if LeBron had known what had happened, his reaction might have been different.

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All the instances of Luka Doncic getting frustrated with calls came after the ball-wiping. This raises the potential for a juicy conspiracy theory. Then again, the Slovenian may simply be believing that he should be getting foul calls when he does not deserve it. Nevertheless, after the recent game, fans can hope that the situation improves for the Slovenian vis-à-vis the foul calls.