Luka Doncic once again showcased why he’s one of the NBA’s prime talents against the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing with 49 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists, knocking down 5 threes. From the opening tip, Doncic imposed his will on offense, scoring from every angle to energize his team and leaving the Timberwolves scrambling.

Doncic was relentless in the matchup, but fans couldn’t look away from one key stat: Doncic attempted 19 foul shots, leading both teams in fouls drawn. Observers noted that many of these trips to the line seemed to be a result of ‘foul-baiting’. Doncic allegedly grifted his way to the charity stripe, forcing the Timberwolves to make tough defensive adjustments as the game went along.

The Lakers as a team shot 32 foul shots compared to the Timberwolves’ 21, with Anthony Edwards, Minnesota’s lead foul drawer, only shot 9 free throws, leading to a ten free throw disparity between the two superstars. Even with the high amount of free throws, however, the Lakers’ late game execution and offensive production helped them seal the game against the Timberwolves.

The controversy surrounding free throws is nothing new. Even last year, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was heavily scrutinized for his attempted free throws, especially in the Finals, when the OKC Thunder faced off against the Indiana Pacers, during which he attempted 70 free throws over 7 games. Fans criticized Shai as selling his fouls via flopping, but he received support from many people.

Former NBA star Lou Williams came to his defense, saying before Game 5, “We have a conversation about finally these teams don’t like each other, you know, getting tired of seeing the same guys over and over every other day. And it started showing in this game 4. Fouls started to get a little harder, it started to get a little chippy, everything had to be earned and you gotta earn it from the free throw line.”

Just a few days ago, Shai shot 26 free throws against the Indiana Pacers during their home opener, and the Pacers were clearly frustrated going up against him. At multiple points during the matchup, Indiana players shook their heads and raised their arms in disbelief over him drawing fouls from them as they bit on his pump fakes and drives. As the NBA’s leader in drives per game last year, him drawing so many fouls is just a reflection of his playstyle.

Social Media Erupts Over Luka Doncic’s Foul-Baiting Night

NBA fans erupted on social media after Doncic‘s night, with many expressing sheer disbelief at his 19 free throw attempts. One fan exclaimed, “19 freethrows😭😭he’s ruining the game omg that’s so bad,” capturing the frustration that fans argue takes away from the flow of the game.

Another observer joked, “National Free Throw Association this is why Steph still runs the league,” referencing Stephen Curry‘s three-point shooting heavy playstyle, and the less foul shots attempted because of it.

Some viewers also criticize the perceived intentionality of Doncic’s fouls and his fanbase, saying, “19 FTS foul baiting against terrible Wolves but his fans will cry that SGA gets 10 FTs,” reflecting the idea that standards change for different star players.

Others were simply stunned at the number of trips to the line, with one fan writing, “Does that s–t say 19 FTs?????” emphasizing their surprise at the sheer amount of fouls drawn.

One fan summed up the sense of disbelief both humorously an succinctly: “HOW MANY FREE THROWSSSS.” Responses of this nature capture the sense of disbelief and spark debate about the strategy and frequency of fouls in today’s NBA.