Mavs star Doncic avoids suspension after 16th tech rescinded

NEW YORK (AP) — Dallas Mavericks star LukaDoncic has avoided a one-game suspension for now after the NBArescinded his 16th technical foul Monday.

The league’s decision cleared Doncic to play at Indiana onMonday night as the fading Mavericks try to stay in the WesternConference playoff race.

Dallas entered the game against the Pacers 11th in the West, onespot out of the play-in tournament a year after going to theconference finals.

The Mavs are on a four-game losing streak, including consecutivelosses to lowly Charlotte. Doncic got the technical that wasrescinded in the second of those losses Sunday.

The technical came with 7:51 remaining in the third quarter of a110-104 loss when Doncic argued a no-call after missing a shot on adrive to the basket.

Crew chief Kevin Scott said in a pool report after the game thatDoncic used “a profanity directed at the officials in protest to ano-call that was correctly judged in postgame video review.”

It’s the second time Doncic has had a technical foul rescindedthis season.

After the first loss to the Hornets in Dallas last week, Doncicsaid he was as frustrated as he’s been in his stellar five-yearcareer that has included four trips to the All-Star game.

Doncic hinted at off-court issues that were taking the joy outof the game, but wouldn’t elaborate beyond saying it was in hisprivate life.

The 24-year-old shared those thoughts the same day he was fined$35,000 for making a money gesture toward the refs when he wasapparently upset over a non-call on his missed layup in the finalseconds.

“I think you can see it with me on the court,” Doncic said.“Sometimes I don’t feel it’s me. I used to have really fun, smilingon court, but it’s just been so frustrating for a lot of reasons,not just basketball.”