Over the first two games, the Minnesota Timberwolves found ways to puncture the Los Angeles Lakers. But their old foe remained vicious. Answering Luka Doncic’s beat was becoming harder and harder as the Slovenian controlled the tempo in both games. But now with the series in Minnesota, Luka Magic is getting hounded by the crowd and the Wolves players. But is the physicality getting excessive?

The Lakers guard has only scored 8 points by halftime, shooting an abysmal 3 for 9 from the field. Increasing the ball pressure and forcing him to pass has been one of the strategies. But one play showed the Timberwolves’ ruthlessness. Doncic was met with a hard foul from Naz Reid as he drove to the cup in the second quarter.

The replay made it obvious—there was clear contact to the head, and Luka Doncic felt every bit of it. But surprisingly, the broadcast didn’t seem too concerned. In fact, renowned commentator Doris Burke even remarked, “I don’t see anything there Mike” on the play. The officials, however, saw it differently. They reviewed the contact and ultimately rewarded Doncic with two free throws, acknowledging the foul that somehow flew under the announcers’ radar.

However, even the referees are coming under the pump. The physicality has clearly increased from the last two games. The Timberwolves even carry a grudge against Doncic for preventing them from an NBA Finals opportunity last season. He has been their prime defensive target during the first half.

Still, Doncic has only been to the line twice, which happened after Reid’s foul in the second quarter. Maybe it’s the theme of the series or just the playoffs. Fewer stoppages allow for an up-and-down game of basketball. However, Laker Nation is livid with the way the game has treated their star guard so far.

Fans can’t stand Doris Burke

Lakers fans have taken exception to the manner in which the game has been called for Doncic so far. Although the Lakers shared the first two games, Doncic was a clear standout, seeming unfazed by the Wolves’ defense. Tonight it’s amplified, and the Slovenian, all while dealing with a stomach bug—is getting overlooked by the refs. Moreover, Burke’s comments added more fury to the fans’ sentiments.

“Luka clearly hit on the head and Doris Burke says “I don’t see nothing” she’s the worst commentator ever lmao,” one fan wrote against the highly experienced commentator. The contact on the play was evident. But such moments can be subjective. Burke probably felt Reid didn’t intentionally look for the foul.

Nonetheless, to the majority, it seemed like she tried to undersell what happened with Luka Doncic. Some fans even made a request to the NBA. “I can’t listen to a Lakers game with Doris Burke calling it I’m sorry,” one comment read.

As bad as the foul was, it’s also important to understand how the playoffs have been this season. Defenses have been allowed to play physical basketball to a greater extent in comparison to the regular season. So, the calls Doncic often gets, will be unlikely to get called now, especially playing against a hostile crowd that will be ready to pounce on the refs every time they blow the whistle for Luka.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka was caught on the sidelines in Game 2 voicing his intentions loud and clear with the officiating, telling his young squad, “Don’t worry, they’re not going to call anything,”—a clear reference to the challenges of guarding Stephen Curry. The subtext was loud and clear. And perhaps, that same message was subtly echoed by Chris Finch to the Timberwolves when it came to Luka Doncic. After all, guarding generational scorers requires more than just schemes—it demands psychological readiness when the calls don’t go your way.

But a bad decision from the officials is something the viewers could understand. They just couldn’t make sense of Burke’s admission after watching a slowed-down review of the same play. “Whoever put Doris Burke on this Lakers-Timberwolves game needs to be fired,” an angered fan said about her commentary.

One fan even posted her reaction on X. “Oh shut the hell up you stupid b****h,” she could be heard saying. However, the fan did apologize for her language as she watched on with a glass of red wine.

Many more of such reactions kept pouring in. But the solution isn’t to dismiss Burke. She is part of the top commentating team for ESPN. She has covered the NBA Finals from the hardwood since 2009. Last year, she even became the first woman to serve as an analyst for the finals of the top four leagues.

Just like players or referees, announcers can make mistakes at times. But in terms of her ability, Doris Burke is among the elite.