The great game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers ended with the unfortunate ejection of the Lakers’ point guard, Luka Doncic. Shots were made, team ranks moved up or down on the NBA playoff conference list, and two technical fouls were dished out on the courts. Staying on brand by heckling and arguing, this was not Doncic first time on the rodeo. The star’s teammates say, however, that he didn’t deserve an ejection. Is it unfair or was Doncic keeping to procedure?
Thunder vs Lakers: the game that ended with Doncic’s ejection
Playing on a one-point match until the fourth quarter, the bitter-sweet Lakers’ occasion ended with an ejection of the Laker’s star player and a double-digit point win against their rivals. The Los Angeles Lakers ended the game with a 136-120 win against the Thunder, contributed by amazing players from both teams. LeBron James came heavy with 28 points, 8 rebound and 6 assists, following is Austin Heaves with 24 points, 5 assist and 4 rebounds.
Before ejection, Luka Doncic played 23 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds and power-forward, Jarred Vanderbilt came with 14 points and 9 rebounds. During halftime, the scores sat with the Lakers losing at 72 and the Thunder at 80. From the Thunder Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds, shooting guard, Jalen Williams scored 26 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists while Chet Holmgren brought home 18 points, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks.
How Doncic got ejected: was it fair?
What was a simple interaction between a basketball player and a fan, became a misunderstanding leading to an ejection. Addressing what happened, Doncic discusses that the situation was unnecessary and a misinterpretation of referee J.T Orr saying “I never got a fan ejected. Never. I think, let them talk and I’m gonna talk back like always. It had nothing to do with the ref, so I don’t really understand.”
Confirming their conversation to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Oklahoma City fan, Jeremy Page added that conversations between him and Doncic are quiet usual. The ejection happened between the Lakers-Oklahoma game sitting at 108-107 for the Lakers with 7:40 remaining at Paycom Centre. The first technical foul was issued in the third quarter with 4:02 left of it.
The legend, LeBron James, also found the situation confusing as he said to the reporters, “It was a weird couple of minutes after that, starting with the ejection … don’t know why the ref was taking it personal. He had already given Luka one (technical) and Luka knew that.” He continued to say, “Luka was going back and forth at that time with a fan sitting courtside. … The ref took it upon himself to think that it was vs. him, whatever the case may be.”
Not his first time: Luka Doncic’s heckling fouls
While this is the most recent time Doncic got ejected for his banters, is this going to be the last for the season? Hard to imagine so with the players’ track record of technical fouls and game ejections. It’s only April and the Lakers’ player has had 14 technical fouls, with only two more fouls which might result in a one-game suspension.
The 2024 season put him on the ranks with the most NBA technical fouls of 19. Being in a slightly better position, Doncic was third in the 2023 season then second in technical fouls in the 2022 NBA season. In his career, Luka Doncic has received 103 regular-season technical fouls and he’s second to the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green who has 114 fouls.
Is this another “he said, she said” situation with the second technical foul and game ejection of the Lakers’ player being unwarranted? Was the referee mistaken and assuming a banter due to Doncic’s past altercations with players and court side fans. Although playing a great game with the Los Angeles Lakers’ winning and moving up the conference ranks, the league should have more surveillance for future mistake game ejections. With confirmation from the fan in question and LeBron James, the ejection of Doncic is a false positive.
