LOS ANGELES — Just as Luka Doncic’s case for MVP was picking up steam, the Los Angeles Lakers’ star was whistled for his 16th technical foul of the season in Friday’s 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets, and he will face a one-game suspension if it is upheld.
Doncic and Nets forward Ziaire Williams were assessed double techs with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter after jostling with one another following an offensive foul called on Doncic.
A video review showed Doncic pushing Williams and Williams retaliating by swiping back at Doncic’s face. Both players were called for a technical foul by crew chief Sean Wright.
“[Williams] was yelling in my face — three times,” Doncic said after finishing with 41 points in the victory. “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.”
Doncic already picked up his 16th tech last weekend for verbally sparring with Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze, but the NBA rescinded the techs on Doncic and Bitadze after the Lakers appealed to the league.
Barring this tech also being rescinded, which is unlikely, considering the officials already reviewed the incident before assessing it, Doncic will serve the one-game suspension when the Lakers host the Washington Wizards on Monday, having reached the suspension threshold.
Lakers coach JJ Redick said he didn’t have a good vantage point of the run-in between Doncic and Williams but said of the tech, “I’m sure we will appeal it.”
On Monday, Doncic was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the second straight week. He has averaged 39.7 points on 48.9% (39.3% from 3), 8.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 2.5 steals in his past 12 games, with the Lakers going 11-1 in that stretch.
Though a suspension would cost Doncic 1/145th of his annual salary, or approximately $317,000, it might not hurt the Lakers’ momentum.
The Lakers beat the Wizards by 31 points when they played them Jan. 30.
The Lakers then play the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday on the second night of a back-to-back set. Cleveland beat L.A. by 30 points on Jan. 28.
Doncic, who was listed as questionable because of left hamstring soreness for the Nets game before being upgraded to available, would have three days’ rest going into the game against the Cavs.
