Markieff Morris dispels bold claim about Luka Doncic's playing time festering discontent

Dallas Mavericks teammate Markieff Morris on Thursday shot down a recent claim made by an anonymous NBA coach about Luka Doncic. The veteran big man replied to a comment told to Howard Beck of The Ringer which suggested that Doncic's teammates feel "relief" when he's taken out of games.

"Cap! We’re trying to win a chip go head with this foolishness! #PRAVIMVP," the 2020 NBA champion tweeted.

Ever since he made it to the NBA, Luka Doncic has been a ball-dominant player. Many have criticized this aspect of his game, asking the Slovenian guard to rely more on his teammates with the ball.

The addition of Kyrie Irving last season appeared to change that part slightly, but according to an anonymous coach, Doncic's teammates dislike his playstyle and their lack of touches.

Morris called that narrative a lie, using the slang term "cap" to do so.

Doncic, once again, is the heart and soul of his team, and having another star like Kyrie Irving by his side makes the Mavs a bigger threat in the West. However, they still have work to do to reach the ultimate goal in the NBA, and the task has gotten more difficult after they eliminated the LA Clippers in six games.

The OKC Thunder dominated Luka Doncic in Game 1 of the West semis

The Mavericks face Game 2 of their series against the OKC Thunder on Thursday after a humbling 117-95 defeat in the series opener on Tuesday. Luka Doncic recorded 19 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Irving led his squad with 20 points, which wasn't enough to beat the No. 1 seed in the West.

Game 2 can have big repercussions for this series.

Luka Doncic finished third in the MVP voting

Luka Doncic finished the 2024 NBA MVP voting with 566 total votes, with four media members putting him in first place, 36 in second, 50 in third and eight in fourth.

The Slovenian lost to Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander after another terrific season with the Mavericks. Perhaps the team's seeding didn't help his cause, but Doncic will be ready to improve his game again next season and see if he can dethrone his good friend for the coveted award.