LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 10: LeBron James #23 and Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers talk during the third quarter of a game against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena on February 10, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has been ejected for the fifth time in his career. The circumstances were a little strange.
Doncic, 26, was trash-talking a fan who was sitting courtside during the Lakers’ 136-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Referee J.T. Orr mistook the trash talk to be targeted toward him and gave Doncic his second technical foul of the game.
Orr also issued Doncic his first technical foul when he argued that teammate Jarred Vanderbilt was hit in the head on an uncalled foul.
Once Doncic was ejected, the game flipped on its head. At the time of the ejection, there was 7:40 left in the fourth quarter and the Lakers were up 108-107.
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The Thunder closed the game on a 29-12 run to blow out the Lakers.
Doncic finished the game with 23 points on 7-15 shooting. He also had five assists and three rebounds.
The fan, Jeremy Price, is no stranger to courtside trash talk. During the series between the Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks in last year’s playoffs, Price was courtside, speaking his mind to Doncic, similarly to today.
Price told ESPN that he believed Doncic was talking to him and not Orr at the time of ejection.
“He turned around, and he shot an expletive back [to Orr],” Price said. “J.T. happened to see it, and at that point, t’d him up.”
For Doncic and the Lakers, a much-anticipated trip to Dallas awaits. For Doncic, this is the first game in Dallas since he was traded back in February.
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