Referees’ foul call on Luka Doncic all but gives Celtics NBA title

DALLAS — It goes without saying that you don’t foul out the best player on a weak call down the stretch of a must-win NBA Finals game.

You don’t snatch away the drama of the final series because of a foul that required minutes of deliberation to uphold after a challenge.

But that’s what the referees did Wednesday night with Luka Doncic, who was whistled for a block on Jaylen Brown for his sixth foul. Doncic then watched the final four minutes from the bench, as Dallas’ comeback fell short in Wednesday’s 106-99 Game 3 to give Boston a 3-0 series advantage.

Doncic, who was called for four fouls in the fourth quarter, was playing lazy defense, per usual. That part was on him. He doesn’t move his feet. Brown drove at Doncic and the Mavs forward was halfway between taking a charge and trying to get out of the way. But Brown also pushed off Doncic and the right call was a no call.

Especially under those circumstances. Jason Kidd challenged the foul and the Dallas arena groaned when it was deemed unsuccessful. The Mavericks, who turned a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter into a 1-point deficit, were outscored in the final three minutes, 13-7.

Game over. Series over.