‘They don’t want’: Nikola Jokic mocked Luka Doncic’s performance for lack of effort in NBA All-Star Game

The NBA All-Star Game has become a focus of criticism for the lack of effort some of the league’s top names show during the event. The East All-Stars pulled off a 211-186 victory over the West, with many calling for more competitiveness. In a sense, Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic has become the main focus of the conversation.

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Doncic, who finished with seven points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, acknowledged that he doesn’t know how to fix the All-Star Game but mentioned how most players don’t want to get injured. He mentioned his mentality is to “follow the lead” of the other players on the court.

“I mean, yeah, when people come here playing 40 minutes, they don’t want to get injured, everybody just gets out of the way,” Doncic said. “I don’t know how to fix that, but I just follow the lead.”

Doncic’s close friend, Nikola Jokic, known for his lack of effort during the All-Star Game, joked that Doncic was “terrible” for the event and was “worse” than him.

“Luka’s terrible. Luka’s really bad for this game,” Jokic said. “He’s worse than me. 100 percent.”

What does Nikola Jokic really think about Luka Doncic? 👀 - YouTube

One of the viral plays Doncic had during the game was a full-court heave with over 30 seconds remaining before halftime. He defended the selection jokingly by replying to a post on social media: “2 for 1… analytics” from the locker room.

I Couldn't Believe It": Nikola Jokic on Luka Doncic's Bizarre Shot in the All-Star Game - EssentiallySports

Jokic joked that he couldn’t believe Doncic threw up that shot and said he was “mad” at the Slovenian superstar for taking it.

“No. I couldn’t believe it,” Jokic joked about Doncic’s shot. “I was mad at him. I was actually mad at him. Crazy.”

Doncic, meanwhile, leads the NBA in scoring per game at 34.2, but he was unsuccessful—pun intended—on the grandest stage.

Shortly after the missed dunk, he spoke with the commentary crew on TNT, where he poked fun at himself.

“I was feeling myself too much. I don’t dunk, guys,” Doncic said.

The highlight of the NBA All-Star Game experience for Doncic is the people he can see who are all gathered in one place for the event, whether on the court during the game or in the locker room.

“Every time I’m really excited to be here, all of the people you see, the players you share a locker room with, LeBron, Steph, KD, they’ve been doing this for a long time. So it’s an unbelievable feeling,” Doncic said.

Doncic is far more focused on the Dallas Mavericks’ next game against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday at American Airlines Center to start a strong post-All-Star break run with the Mavs than he is on an exhibition game. Doncic has averaged 34.2 points, 9.5 assists, and 8.8 rebounds in 47 games for the Mavericks this season.