The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Los Angeles Lakers 136-120 on Tuesday night but the game will be remembered more for the officiating than the score. With the Lakers up 108-107 mid 4th quarter, star point guard Luka Dončić was ejected after being called his 2nd technical—a call that has since been overturned by the NBA.
What looked like a harmless trash talk to a courtside fan turned into a turning point in the game. Without their superstar on the floor, the Lakers fell apart and the Thunder pulled away for the win. The league later admitted the 2nd technical should have never been called but the damage was done.
What Happened During the Key Moment?
After making the go ahead basket, Dončić turned around and talked to someone on the court—someone he says was a fan. But official J.T. Orr thought Dončić was talking to him. Since Dončić already had one technical foul from the 3rd quarter, the second technical automatically ejected him.
Dončić argued his case, saying he wasn’t talking to the ref, but no one was listening. The Lakers had to play the rest of the game without their star point guard and losing Dončić was brutal. A one point lead turned into a 16 point deficit as the Thunder took off.
NBA Admits Mistake, Rescinds Technical Foul
On Wednesday, the NBA reversed the second technical foul “upon league office review”. While this is a step in the right direction for accountability, it doesn’t change the outcome for the Lakers who lost without their star.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. With playoff seeding on the line the loss hurts the Lakers big time. Meanwhile the Thunder gain big time and move up in the standings for home court in a potential Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Impact on Playoff Implications
For the Lakers, this loss makes it harder for them to get the 3rd seed in the West. They need 2 wins in their last 3 games which is tougher now with an emotional rematch against Dallas on Wednesday where Dončić will face his old team.
Dončić Speaks Out: “It Wasn’t About the Ref”
Post game Dončić spoke to the media, again saying he was talking to a fan not the official.
“I never got a fan ejected. Never. But if he’s going to talk I’m going to talk back like always,” Dončić said (via The Athletic ). “That had nothing to do with the ref. I didn’t really understand.”
Despite Dončić’s explanation, crew chief Tony Brothers said the second technical was called because Dončić “looked directly at an official and used vulgarity”. The first technical was for the same reason, Dončić allegedly used profanity at an official earlier in the game.
This isn’t the first time Dončić has jawed with a fan. Just a few weeks ago he was talking to a fan who was yelling “ball don’t lie” at him during a free throw. His feisty personality has been part of his brand for a long time—but this time it cost his team.
A Costly Call in a Big Game
The technical feels especially harsh, given the circumstances of the game. Both teams are fighting for positioning in what’s going to be a tough playoff race. For the Lakers, losing Dončić in this stretch was a punch to the gut they couldn’t recover from.
The NBA acknowledging the mistake is good but it also shows how delicate these moments are. In a league where superstars decide games, ejecting one over a misunderstanding can change the entire season.