LOS ANGELES Lakers’ Luka Doncic (AP Photo/LM Otero)

As in all offenses outside the social norms, the rule of thumb is, “Don’t get caught.”

At a game last Saturday – won by the Lakers 105-104 – our Luka Doncic and Goga Bitadze of the Orlando Magic engaged in a bit of over-the-top trash-talking that got them both technical fouls.

What was especially noteworthy was that it was Doncic’s 16th “T” of the season, an impressive total to be sure.

Apparently these two scholars had been chirping all night and the refs – after giving both a warning to knock it off … didn’t.

The exchange supposedly went something like this: “Bleep your whole family,” said Goga. “Bleep your whole family,” replied Luka. Now, I’m not sure which words were used, exactly, but they were certainly examples of a lack of professionalism.

But, uh, maybe not in the way you think.

The history of sports is filled with athletes who could get away with offenses without consequences.

Players with well-known short tempers are often chivvied into throwing a punch after receiving a slightly-over-the-top shove, but only in a situation in which the ref sees the punch and not the shove.

There was a catcher (we will name no names here) who made an art out of saying – just loud enough for the batter to hear, but not the ump – some vile pejorative about the batter’s wife or other female relative.

If done right, that would lead to either a strikeout or an ejection.

So Luka, buddy, next time, just smile and say, “Ta mere porte des bottles de l‘armee.” (Your mother wears army boots). Even insults sound nice in French, d’accord?