Lakers' Luka Doncic Talks 16th Technical Foul Ahead of Potential 1-Game NBA Suspension
Six days after the NBA rescinded a technical foul call that allowed Luka Dončić to avoid an automatic one-game suspension, the Los Angeles Lakers star is once again at risk of having to sit out.
Both Dončić and Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams were assessed double technical fouls in the third quarter of Friday's win by the Lakers when they got into a brief skirmish on the court.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Dončić addressed his perspective on the situation with Williams:
"[Williams] was yelling in my face—three times. 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. And they said I pushed, my push was 'exaggerated,' which [it] was obviously not. And I don't know what else to tell you."
The call marks Dončić's 16th technical foul of the season, which triggers an automatic suspension of one game. He previously received a technical foul during a win over the Orlando Magic on March 21 for a verbal back-and-forth with Goga Bitadze, was also called for a techm that would have been his 16th.
However, the NBA announced the following day that it had rescinded the fouls against both Dončić and Bitadze.
Even though Dončić frequently ranks among the league leaders in techs every season, he has yet to accrue enough fouls within a season to trigger an automatic suspension.
Dončić had a run of three consecutive seasons with 15 technical fouls from 2020-21 to 2022-23 while playing for the Dallas Mavericks.
If Dončić does end up being suspended, it couldn't come at a more opportune time for the Lakers. Their next game is on Monday against the Washington Wizards, who have lost 17 of their last 18 games, in Los Angeles at Crypto.com Arena.
