A controversial referee decision may have significantly impacted a crucial NBA game. The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 136-120 on Tuesday night, in a game turning moment that occurred in the fourth quarter. Luka Dončić had just put the Lakers ahead 108-107 with a skillful shot over Isaiah Hartenstein.
Immediately after scoring, Dončić turned to speak to someone who appeared to be a fan near the court in Oklahoma City. However, referee J.T. Orr mistakenly believed Dončić was addressing him. Dončić had already received one technical foul earlier in the game, and this second one led to his ejection.
Despite Dončić`s protests that he was talking to a fan, the ejection stood, and the Lakers had to continue the game without their key player.
With Dončić out of the game, the Lakers struggled. Their one-point lead quickly turned into a 16-point loss in just over seven minutes. This shift in momentum was significant for both teams. The Thunder are aiming for home-court advantage in the playoffs, potentially against the Cleveland Cavaliers. A Lakers win would have narrowed Oklahoma City`s lead over Cleveland to just one game in the loss column with only three games remaining in the season.
The Lakers needed to win two of their remaining four games to secure the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. Now, they need to win two of their last three. While they are still likely to achieve this, it`s not guaranteed. Their schedule includes a game against the Mavericks on Wednesday, which will be an emotional return to Dallas for Dončić, followed by a game against Houston on Friday, where the Rockets might rest some of their key players. They finish the season against the Portland Trail Blazers, a team not in playoff contention but has been playing competitively recently.
Following the game, Dončić told reporters that he was indeed talking to a fan.
“I never get fans ejected. Never. But if someone talks to me, I`ll talk back, as always,” Dončić stated. “It had nothing to do with the ref. I didn`t really understand it.”
Referee Orr, however, interpreted the situation differently. Tony Brothers, the officiating crew chief, explained to a pool reporter that Dončić received his second technical foul because he “looked directly at an official and used vulgar language.” The first technical foul was also for “directing profanity at a game official,” according to Brothers.
Dončić is known for engaging in trash talk with fans. For example, he was recently filmed exchanging words with a fan who shouted “ball don`t lie” when Dončić was at the free-throw line.
Hopefully, this ejection will serve as a reminder for Dončić to be cautious around officials, especially when he already has a technical foul. However, based on the video and the context, this ejection appears to be a harsh decision. It seems likely that Dončić was talking to a fan, and even if there is doubt, ejecting a star player in a close game with playoff implications seems unnecessary and avoidable.
No one wants to see a star player ejected from an important game if it can be prevented, and in this case, the referee`s reaction seemed too quick.
Jasper Hawthorne