Luka faces 1-game suspension as Mavs fall again

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is facing a one-game suspension after being called for his 16th technical foul of the season during Sunday’s road loss to the Charlotte Hornets.

Doncic was whistled for a technical with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter for arguing a no-call after missing a shot on a drive to the basket. Unless the league office rescinds the technical, Doncic will serve the suspension Monday night, when the Mavs play the Indiana Pacers on the road.

Crew chief Kevin Scott said in a pool report after the game that Doncic used “a profanity directed at the officials in protest to a no-call that was correctly judged in postgame video review.”

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said he didn’t think the technical was warranted and that it should be rescinded.

Doncic was not made available for interviews after the game.

Players automatically get a one-game suspension after 16 technical fouls each season, and for every two technicals thereafter. Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks (twice) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green have served suspensions due to their technicals totals this season.

Doncic narrowly avoided a suspension the prior two years, finishing each of those seasons with 15 technical fouls. He had a technical rescinded before last year’s regular-season finale.

Sunday’s technical foul comes two days after Doncic was fined by the league for rubbing his fingers together, in an apparent reference to money, while staring down a ref during last week’s loss to the Warriors.

With the loss Sunday, the second straight defeat at the hands of the Hornets, Dallas fell to 36-39.

“It’s unfortunate that we let these two games go, and we have to figure out a way to stop the bleeding,” said Kidd, adding that he wasn’t pleased with the team’s defensive effort.

Kyrie Irving had 18 points for Dallas, which fell to 7-13 since the point guard was acquired in a trade.

“Losing in basketball is very frustrating, especially when we have as talented a group as we do,” Irving said.

Dallas sits one loss back of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.