Luka Doncic could face a one-game suspension on Monday. The Los Angeles Lakers star picked up his 16th technical foul during Friday's 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
Doncic was assessed the technical midway through the third quarter after committing an offensive foul in the backcourt. Nets forward Ziaire Williams celebrated the call. Doncic pushed him, and Williams retaliated, leading to a review and double technicals.
“[Williams] was yelling in my face, three times,” Doncic said of his technical. “I just wanted to get out of there. It's a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn't even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. They said I pushed [him], and that my push was exaggerated, which [it] was obviously not. I don't know what else to tell you.”
If Doncic's technical is upheld, he will serve a one-game suspension on Monday during the Lakers' matchup with the Washington Wizards.
Luke Doncic assessed 16th technical foul during 41-point performance vs. Nets
Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul last week for an altercation with Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze. However, the NBA rescinded the call after the Lakers appealed.
The Lakers star finished Friday's win with 41 points on 15-of-25 shooting, continuing a historic scoring run. Over his last 12 games, Doncic has averaged 37.9 points on .489/.393/.800 shooting splits. Los Angeles is 11-1 during that span.
Doncic's recent play has elevated him to third in the MVP odds at +2700, trailing Victor Wembanyama (+270) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (-320), per FanDuel SportsBook. If his suspension is upheld, he'll have three days off before the Lakers' matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday.
