Luka Doncic Ejected from Lakers Game After Fiery Courtside Confrontation
Luca Doncic was ejected from Tuesday night's game between the Lakers and the Thunder after a 'weird' courtside interaction with a spectator.
Referee JT Orr gave Doncic his second technical of the night after the Lakers star shared some words with a fan sitting courtside with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. That didn't sit well with Orr, who contested that Doncic was using vulgar language against the ref. Following the game, crew chief Tony Brothers claimed that Doncic had 'looked directly at an official and used vulgar language.' But during the game, Doncic was clearly confused as to what earned him the second technical. He was glimpsed by cameras discussing the decision with the ref as teammate Lebron James looked on.
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Ahead of Doncic's ejection, the Lakers were winning 108–107. After Doncic left the game, they quickly fell behind and ultimately lost the game 136–120.
'I never got a fan ejected, never, but if you're gonna talk, I'm gonna talk back like always,' Doncic told the press following the game. 'That had nothing to do with the ref.'
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'It was a weird couple of minutes after that, starting with the ejection,' James commiserated. 'I don't know why the ref was taking it personal[ly]. He had already given Luka one [technical] and Luka knew that. 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 versus him, whatever the case may be.'
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Doncic's first technical of the night came in the third quarter and was also attributed to directing vulgar language at a game official. He now has 14 technical fouls for the season, just two away from a mandatory one-game suspension.
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