Luka Doncic has never been one to hold back his emotions, but his latest ejection has reignited controversy around NBA officiating.
During a tense matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, Doncic was ejected after receiving his second technical foul in the fourth quarter—this time for an alleged verbal exchange that officials claimed was directed at referee J.T. Orr. However, the truth appears more complicated.
Doncic vehemently disagreed, telling reporters postgame:
“Yeah, I mean, you can see that happened, but you know, I never got a fan ejected—never. But if he’s gonna talk, I’m gonna talk back, like always. So that had nothing to do with the ref. I didn’t really understand.”
Luka on the 4th quarter ejection:
"That had nothing to do with the ref… it was tough, we were right there. That's on me too."
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The incident unfolded with 6:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Lakers trailing by a single point. After scoring a slick floater, Doncic turned and barked at a courtside fan, not the referee.
That fan, later identified as Jeremy Price, revealed in interviews that the exchange was nothing more than the continuation of an ongoing trash-talking rivalry dating back to Doncic’s Dallas days. Price admitted to calling Luka “short” and mocking a missed shot, prompting the Lakers star to respond with a heated comment.
Despite Doncic clearly gesturing that his words were directed toward the fan, referee J.T. Orr saw otherwise and immediately issued a second technical, sending the Slovenian superstar to the locker room.
The NBA’s pool report with crew chief Tony Brothers only added fuel to the fire. “He looked directly at an official and used vulgar language,” Brothers claimed, insisting that the ejection was justified.
His teammates backed him up. LeBron James voiced his frustration, saying the referees made it “personal,” while Jarred Vanderbilt accused the officiating crew of holding a clear bias.
According to Vanderbilt, one referee even told him, “I’ll talk to anybody but Luka.”
That kind of statement has raised serious concerns among fans and analysts alike, questioning the professionalism and impartiality of the officials.
Before his ejection, Doncic had been steady, contributing 23 points, five assists, and three rebounds. But without him, the Lakers crumbled, losing 136-120. The Thunder—led by MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 42 points—took full control of the game after Luka’s exit, outscoring the Lakers 24-6 in the immediate aftermath.
This wasn’t just a loss—it was a pivotal moment in the Western Conference playoff race.
The Lakers, now 48-31, dropped in the standings and opened the door for lower-seeded teams to close the gap. For a team trying to build chemistry with their newly-formed big three, losing Doncic to what many are calling an unjust ejection is a massive blow.
With Doncic now sitting on 14 technicals this season—just two away from a one-game suspension—the stakes are even higher. His passionate play is part of what makes him elite, but it now walks a fine line under the scrutiny of officials.
Whether or not the league rescinds this technical remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Luka’s ejection changed the course of a game, and potentially, the Lakers’ postseason trajectory.
