NBA 2018-19: 4 ways players did not give thanks during the Thanksgiving break

#3 DeAndre Jordan and Luka Doncic

DeAndre Jordan (R) and Luka Doncic (L)

When the Dallas Mavericks played the Boston Celtics over Thanksgiving weekend, the Mavericks had a considerable lead towards the end of the fourth quarter. They were up 9 with 12.7 seconds to go, and technically it didn't matter who took the technical foul free-throw at that point.

However, when Luka Doncic stepped to the line, he was asked to move aside by Coach Rick Carlisle, who then replaced him with DeAndre Jordan. And although DeAndre has been shooting a personal all-time high from the line, his career percentage is not too good.

Technical free-throws are in any case generally reserved for the best shooters, and conventionally DeAndre does not meet that brief. But this must have been the equivalent of Coach Carlisle giving him an ego boost and the honor of the shot.

When DeAndre missed the shot as it rimmed out, Doncic (not a much better shooter than DeAndre) laughed at the mishap.