During tonight’s matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Utah Jazz, all eyes were on LeBron James’s return and Luka Doncic’s dominance, but it all changed during one play. Doncic, after a failed lob attempt from Austin Reaves, grabbed his leg, clearly hurt. Cameras captured his discomfort, but the comments made by the LA commentators, Bill Macdonald and Stu Lantz, took all the attention.

Once the play happened, Lantz offered his perspective on Doncic’s reaction. “I think he’s more upset that he didn’t get the call,” he said, pointing to the contact made from the defenders that led to Doncic’s awkward landing, prompting agreement from Macdonald and complaints from fans online. Lantz further noted, “As he comes down, a little bit of contact with the defender, but that can be serious.” He also praised Jazz guard Keyonte George, saying, “What a good play by George, he read that play all the way.”

The dialogue continued, with Macdonald saying, “He landed awkwardly, he landed awkwardly without question.” Lantz remained measured, emphasizing both the strategic and physical nature of the defense, and Macdonald added, “Luka is still holding his left knee, but I think you’re right, Stu; he’s more complaining to the officials than wanting to take himself out of the game.”

Doncic has built a reputation for arguing with referees throughout his career, long before he joined the LA team. Just a few months ago, during EuroBasket, after being called for a foul, Doncic made a ‘money’ gesture, indicating unfair treatment toward Luka’s Slovenian team.

During Game 3 of the 2024 Finals, when then-Dallas Maverick Doncic fouled out against the Boston Celtics, Brian Windhorst reported that the coaches had seriously instructed Doncic not to argue with officials. “You’ve got a situation here where Luka is complaining about the officiating,” Windhorst said. “[Mavericks coaches] have begged him, they have talked with him, they have pleaded with him [to stop complaining to referees].”

Lantz, who serves as a color commentator, has often made remarks, attempting to break down plays, read player reactions, and highlight defensive schemes to offer viewers an account of what happened without overhyping the moment. Lantz has been with the Lakers since 1987, working alongside Chick Hearn, Paul Sunderland, and Joel Myers before Macdonald.

Fans Slam Stu Lantz for Luka Doncic Comments During Lakers-Jazz

Social media quickly lit up after the Los Angeles Lakers’ win tonight, with many fans expressing discontent over what they perceived as a bias against LA superstar Luka Doncic. One fan pointed to Lantz’s comments about Doncic limping, posting, “*Jazz player falls into Luka Doncic, knocking him to the ground and is limping* Stu Lantz then accuses him of faking injury.”

The criticism from fans quickly mounted, escalating to the point where one observer called for management to take action. After a Jazz player ran into Doncic, they posted, “STU LANTZ IS CELEBRATING LUKA GETTING TACKLED ‘that’s a nice collision there’ @JeanieBuss FIRE HIM,” showing the outrage against Lantz’s booth behavior.

Others also questioned Lantz’s opinions. “Stu Lantz pretending like he ‘definitely’ saw Luka Doncic travel 😂😂,” one post read, highlighting a controversial travel call on Doncic that Lantz vocally agreed with.

Some reactions highlighted Lantz’s tone, with one comment reading, “Stu Lantz gotta go man.. he’s insufferable #LakeShow.” Lantz has often drawn ire from fans for his unbiased and sometimes critical comments on the Lakers, a tradition that stretches back to the Showtime era in the 1980s, when Chick Hearn was the voice of the team.

Finally, one viewer expressed their frustration with a simple comment: “Stu Lantz is so annoying.” The general sentiment online is one of exasperation, especially with his commentary approach, as well as his seeming silence when the Lakers perform well. Of course, fandom is bound to distort views, but what do you think?