Watch: Angry Luka Doncic throws bottle during latest loss
Coming off the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline, the Dallas Mavericks were regarded by many as "the most dangerous team in the West" after their front office upgraded the roster with the additions of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. The acquisitions were working -- the Mavs won five consecutive games with their new-look roster as part of a seven-game winning streak dating back to Feb. 5.
However, Dallas' momentum has halted over the past week, with three consecutive losses against the Celtics, Sixers and Pacers. While the loss to Boston was brushed off due to the might of the opposition, the other two defeats have gotten many to question the legitimacy of Dallas' postseason chances. After a loss to a Joel Embiid-less Sixers, the Mavs gave up a whopping 137 points to the Indiana Pacers Tuesday night, losing by 17 points to a team with far lower expectations.
Luka Doncic -- who registered his fourth straight 30-point triple-double -- let his frustrations get the best of him during the loss. As seen in the video below, a visibly irate Doncic could be seen throwing a bottle of water when the Mavs were down 99-86 with 1:56 left in the third quarter.
In the modern NBA, a 13-point deficit with nearly 14 minutes left in the game isn't insurmountable by any means. That Doncic reacted so furiously is a sign of him probably losing faith in his teammates -- particularly their inability to play defense. \
Over the last six games, in which the Mavs have gone 1-5, they have a defensive rating of 127.3, which ranks five points per 100 possessions worse than the 29th-ranked Wizards. The Mavericks are playing some all-time poor defense currently, and Doncic knows it.
"I don't know how to fix [our defensive woes], but I know we have to fix it," Doncic admitted after the Pacers game.
The Mavs are 6-6 this season when Doncic registers a 30-point triple-double. Clearly, Doncic's individual heroics haven't proven enough to lead to wins. After Tuesday's loss, Doncic was asked if he was frustrated at his historic stat-stuffing going to waste.
"It doesn't matter, man," Doncic said when asked about his stats. "I just want to win. That's it."
A year after missing the playoffs, the Mavs are once again in danger of going home early. As of this writing, they sit eighth in the West, just half a game ahead of the Lakers.
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