Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Dončić was ejected following a confusing scene involving a fan and a referee on Tuesday, April 8.
Dončić, 26, was kicked out after picking up his second technical foul during the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 136-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The ejection came after Dončić hit a three-pointer to give the Lakers the lead, which inspired the NBA star to talk some trash.
Exactly who Dončić was talking to, however, became a point of contention.
Official JT Orr suggested the verbiage was aimed at him, thus leading to the ejection. Crew Chief Tony Brothers told a reporter that Dončić was ejected because he “looked directly at an official and used vulgar language.”
Dončić’s first technical foul was also assessed for directing profanity at an official, Brothers said.
After the game, though, Dončić said he was taking aim at a Thunder fan sitting courtside when he was hit with his second technical.
“I never got a fan ejected, never, but if you’re gonna talk, I’m gonna talk back like always,” Dončić told reporters after the game. “That had nothing to do with the ref.”
Dončić said it was “tough” watching his team lose their lead, and ultimately the game, from the confines of the locker room.
Luka Doncic. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
“We were right there,” he added. “We fought the whole game. We were down eight at halftime and we came back in the third quarter. We were fighting, man, so it was tough to see this kind of situation happen.”
Dončić’s teammate, LeBron James, paused for a few seconds when asked about the ejection at his locker room stall after the game.
“It was a weird couple minutes after that, starting with the ejection,” James, 40, told reporters. “I don’t know why the ref was taking it personal. He had already gave Luka one [technical foul] and Luka knew that. Luka was going back-and-forth at that time with a fan that was sitting courtside, like Luka does when fans get to talk s***, talk out of their minds, whatever the case may be.”
After Anthony Edwards made headlines both on and off the basketball court this week, the Minnesota Timberwolves star preached patience. Edwards, 23, consented to give ex Ayesha Howard temporary sole physical and legal custody of their 6-month-old daughter, Aubri Summers, on Monday, April 7. The following night, Edwards and the Timberwolves blew a 24-point fourth […]
James went on to describe the game as “just weird as hell after that moment.”
The Lakers now sit just one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies for the 3-seed in the crowded Western Conference playoff race.
Los Angeles returns to action on Wednesday, April 9, against the Dallas Mavericks, where Dončić played the first seven seasons of his NBA career before being traded to the Lakers in February.
The Lakers close out the regular season with games against the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers on April 11 and 13, respectively.
