Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick defended Luka Doncic after the star guard picked up his 15th technical foul of the season, leaving him just one technical away from an automatic one-game suspension.
The technical came during a heated stretch of a recent Lakers game against the Denver Nuggets, as Doncic expressed frustration with officiating. Under NBA rules, a player receives a one-game suspension after collecting 16 technical fouls during the regular season. With roughly 20 games remaining in the season, Doncic is now walking a very thin line.
Despite the growing concern about potential discipline, Redick made it clear he has no interest in trying to suppress the emotion that fuels his superstar.
“Look, I think he’s a special kind of player, a special kind of person, and a special kind of competitor. So I would much rather have someone who is trying to go out every night and kill than someone that you have to literally revive with a defibrillator every other day. So I’ll take Luka all day long.”
Redick’s comments highlight a reality many coaches face when managing elite players. Doncic’s fiery personality can sometimes spill into arguments with officials, yet that same intensity is also what drives his dominance on the court.
The technical foul that pushed Doncic to 15 came during a sequence where he believed he had been fouled on a drive to the basket. When the whistle did not come, frustration boiled over, and he directed profanity toward the officiating crew, resulting in a technical.
After the game, Doncic questioned the call and pointed to what he believes is inconsistent treatment.
“Yeah, just because I yelled it, I guess that’s what he said. But I heard three other players saying the exact same sentence during the game. And that’s my problem. I was trying not to talk at all. That was the first thing I said. No warning or nothing. But I heard three other players saying the exact same thing and nothing happened. So I don’t know what to say.”
Officials later confirmed that the technical was issued because of profanity directed toward referees. The situation now places added pressure on the Lakers as they continue battling for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. Los Angeles currently sits in the middle of a tight standings race as they sit 6th with a 38-25 record, where even a single loss could impact seeding.
Losing Doncic for a game because of a suspension could prove costly.
The Slovenian superstar remains the engine of the Lakers’ offense. In the most recent performance against the Indiana Pacers, Doncic erupted for 44 points along with nine rebounds and five assists while leading the Lakers to a 128- 117 victory. Performances like that illustrate why the team cannot afford to lose him even briefly during the final stretch of the regular season.
Redick understands the risk. At the same time, he believes the same emotional edge that sometimes leads to technical fouls is also what makes Doncic one of the most dangerous players in basketball.
That competitive fire has been part of Doncic’s identity since his early days in Europe, where he developed a reputation for playing with relentless intensity. It carried over to the NBA, where he has quickly established himself as one of the league’s most productive and creative offensive players.
For Redick, the challenge is not eliminating that passion. The challenge is helping Doncic channel it. With 19 games remaining, the margin for error is slim. One more technical foul would result in an automatic suspension. Every emotional exchange with officials will now be closely watched.
Still, Redick made it clear where he stands. For the Lakers coach, a superstar who plays with fire is far better than one who needs to be pushed just to compete.
