Luka Doncic’s Ejection: A Misunderstanding on the Court
OKLAHOMA CITY — In a game that was as intense as it was unpredictable, Luka Doncic found himself at the center of a controversy that left fans and players alike scratching their heads. The Los Angeles Lakers were locked in a fierce battle against the Oklahoma City Thunder, ultimately falling 136-120, but it was Doncic’s ejection that stole the spotlight.
Doncic, known for his fiery spirit and competitive nature, was engaged in some good old-fashioned trash talk with a courtside fan during the fourth quarter. However, things took a turn when an official misinterpreted the exchange, leading to Doncic’s ejection. “I never got a fan ejected,” Doncic explained, emphasizing his usual approach of engaging with fans without involving security. “Never. But if [the fan is] going to talk, I’m going to talk back, like always. That had nothing to do with the ref. So, I didn’t really understand.”
The game was on a knife’s edge, with L.A. holding a slim 108-107 lead with 7:40 left in the fourth quarter. That’s when referee J.T. Orr called a technical foul on Doncic, his second of the game. The first technical came in the third quarter when Doncic argued a missed foul call on Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt. The Thunder capitalized on the situation, finishing the game on a 29-12 run to secure the victory.
Vanderbilt backed up Doncic’s account, saying, “He thought I got fouled, which I did get fouled, I got slapped across the head. He was just telling the ref that that’s what happened. And the ref was just like … ‘I’ll talk to anybody but you, Luka.’ So, it seemed a little personal at that point.”
After the game, crew chief Tony Brothers provided clarity on the technical fouls. For the first, Brothers stated that Doncic “directed profanity at a game official.” The second technical was issued because Doncic “looked directly at an official and used vulgar language.”
The fan in question, Jeremy Price, who proudly calls himself “The Courtside Tattoo Dude,” confirmed that Doncic’s words were aimed at him, not the referee. “During the game within the game, I mentioned that he was short [on his shot] and he missed it and he turned around and he shot an explicative [sic] back and J.T. happened to see it and at that point, T’d him up,” Price recounted. He speculated that Orr “possibly” mistook the target of Doncic’s words.
The ejection was a pivotal moment in what was otherwise a playoff-caliber clash between the Lakers, ranked No. 3 in the Western Conference, and the Thunder, who hold the No. 1 overall record in the league at 65-14. Lakers forward LeBron James summed it up: “Both teams knew that this was going to be a playoff-type atmosphere, playoff-type competition, playoff-type feeling and it just got weird. The game got weird after that.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick echoed this sentiment, lamenting, “It was a great game that unfortunately didn’t get to finish out the way that I think every basketball fan would want because of some decision-making on some individual’s parts.”
With the Oklahoma City game in the rearview mirror, the Lakers are now setting their sights on Wednesday’s matchup in Dallas. This game carries extra weight, not just for playoff seeding, but because it marks Doncic’s first return to Dallas since the Mavericks traded him in a three-team deal involving the Lakers and Utah Jazz, acquiring Anthony Davis and Max Christie on Feb. 2.
“There’s going to be a lot of emotion for me,” Doncic admitted. “I don’t really know what to expect. I don’t know how I’m going to feel, honestly. I’m looking forward to being back in Dallas, obviously, with the fans, seeing my teammates — ex-teammates. It’s going to be very emotional for me, for sure.”
James anticipates a warm reception from Mavericks fans who cheered for Doncic during his first seven NBA seasons. He assured that the Lakers will rally around Doncic, saying, “I think it’s very important. I mean, it’s camaraderie. It’s holding each other down whenever we face anything. And I think tomorrow’s going to be a lot of emotions going through Luka, both the interior and then exterior. And it’s our job just to do our job. If we do our job on the floor, then we’ll help him tremendously.”
With just three games left in the regular season, the Lakers are focused on securing their playoff position. “We need two out of the three to lock in the third spot,” said Lakers guard Austin Reaves. “We’re going to go compete and play like we have the last couple games, because we want to stay where we’re at [in the standings].”
Originally Written by: Dave McMenamin
