Luka Doncic is no stranger to speaking his mind to referees, nor paying the occasional consequence for it. But, with just handful of games left in the season, Doncic seems on thin ice with officials and on the edge of a suspension.

He was hit with his 15th technical foul of the season in the Los Angeles Lakers' 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday and should Doncic receive one more technical, he'll be handed an automatic one-game suspension. 

Doncic received the technical midway through the second quarter while the Lakers were trailing by 10 points for a comment he made to the referees. Doncic was a mix of outraged and confused by the foul levied against him, especially because, as Doncic described it, he wasn't the only one to make such a comment. 

"Just because I yelled, I guess. That's what he [referee] said. But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and they didn't get a tech," Doncic said (via OhNoHeDidn't24). "That's my problem. I was trying not to talk at all. That was the first thing I said, no warning or nothing."

Doncic has become somewhat notorious in his NBA career for making comments to referees, often making the same two hands up pose while he argues his case after many plays per game where he felt that he was owed a foul call or free throws to be awarded. 

His energy in those moments is what often gets him in trouble and as his track record shows, it's not even the first time that Doncic has reached the 15 technical mark in his career, though he's never before progressed further than that in order to earn the automatic suspension. 

Doncic didn't have much insight into what his approach will be in order to avoid another technical foul this season beyond simply not getting called for another one. 

Though he stopped short of making an outright promise that he wouldn't, saying that he "can't predict the future."

For the Lakers, any game where they could be without Doncic is something they absolutely want to avoid. Los Angeles is the sixth-seed in the Western Conference at the moment and holding on to a two-game lead over the Phoenix Suns to defend their playoff spot. 

There's just 20 games left in the season and every single matchup could prove to be the breaking point in what determines the eventual playoff bracket. 

Doncic is the team's undisputed key to success and they'll need him on the court for every moment possible. 

Doncic may not be able to predict the future, but his would certainly prefer that he avoids any more technical fouls.