Luka Dončić is in the middle of a monster scoring run, leading the NBA with a career-high 38.3 points per game through seven outings. Still, The Ringer's Bill Simmons has taken issue with how the Los Angeles Lakers superstar carries himself on the court.
On Tuesday, Simmons detailed his gripes with Dončić's behavior despite praising his offensive repertoire. The pointed comments came a day after the six-time All-Star erupted for 42 points and dished out 13 assists in Monday's 138-117 rout of the Miami Heat.
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Fans wasted little time turning the spotlight back on Simmons, questioning his motives.
Bill Simmons' Critique of Luka Dončić's Demeanor Sparks Fan Pushback
Speaking on Tuesday's episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," Simmons lauded Dončić's talent before getting to his complaint, noting that he is not the only one who shares the sentiment.
"I think the guy's brilliant; I think he's one of the best offensive players I've ever seen in my life, and it's not a new take to say that his behavior during games has been a little insufferable," Simmons said.
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"I think this is the most insufferable he's ever been. I can't believe how he behaves for two and a half hours at these games, and I don't know one person who enjoys it. … He's just unhappy constantly with everybody, and if somebody talks [expletive] to him on the other team, now he's gotta focus his rage on this."
READ MORE: 'Best Player in the World,' 'Not Falling for That Wemby Propaganda' — Luka Dončić's MVP Buzz Grows As Lakers Star Extends Monster Scoring Run
The remark came amid a stretch of five consecutive games in which the two-time NBA scoring champion posted at least 37 points, beginning with his season-high 52-point performance against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 25.
Even the eye-popping numbers came with a caveat.
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"There's a guy averaging 38 a game right now, who might score 50 any night, and I have multiple TVs going, and I don't wanna put him on the big TV 'cause I don't enjoy the process of watching him get those stats," Simmons added.
With Dončić still catching flak despite shooting an efficient 49.7% overall and 42.7% from deep on high volume, some fans questioned whether Simmons can judge a Lakers star fairly, given his well-documented Boston Celtics fandom.
One fan claimed that the pundit "struggles to say anything positive about any player employed by the Los Angeles Lakers."
Another offered a word of caution about where the critique came from:
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"A Celtics fan btw. Take it with a grain of salt."
Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was then pulled into the discussion:
"Jayson Tatum PR machine is panicking. Luka has cleared him his whole career, but they know he can't hide behind Jaylen Brown no more."
Others shifted the focus to end-of-season awards voting, with one fan writing, "I can't wrap my mind around the league being okay w/ the media votes on player awards covering the sport this way. It's a huge issue, and it's the only major sport that this happens in."
Another went beyond questioning the system and addressed the league directly, calling on the NBA to "revoke this clown's vote effective immediately."
"I told y'all MVP this year is just gonna be the best player vs the media's favorite player," one more asserted.
The scrutiny comes as the Lakers are off to a strong 6-2 start that has them sitting fourth in the Western Conference. Even so, it appears Dončić will have to do more than fill up the stat sheet and carry LA to on-court success to win Simmons over.
This article originally appeared on
Pro Football Network
.
