Luka Dončić was ejected from a Lakers-Thunder game after a comment to a fan was seen as directed towards a referee. The Lakers lost 136-120 after a 28-11 Thunder run. Despite the loss, the Lakers maintained third place in the West but are now just one game ahead of the Nuggets and Grizzlies. This leaves them 1.5 games ahead of seventh place and a spot in the play-in tournament.
The Thunder, already secure in the top seed in the West, had a strong performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 42 points. Dončić, before his ejection, had 23 points, five assists, and three rebounds. The Lakers shot well from 3 but ultimately fell apart once their star point guard was removed from the game.
Dončić explained that he never intended for a fan to be ejected and that his comment was not directed at the referees. Crew chief Tony Brothers confirmed that Dončić was ejected for using vulgar language towards an official. The incident dramatically changed the tone of the game, as up until then, it was shaping up to be a thrilling matchup.
The Lakers now look ahead to their next game against the Mavericks, where Dončić will return to Dallas to face his former team. The team will need to regroup and refocus to maintain their position in the playoff race.
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