Egregious Luka Dončić ejection is latest example of NBA’s referee problem
The Lakers held a slim lead over the Thunder in the fourth, but the ridiculous ejection of Luka Dončić essentially ended their chances of winning.
With 7:42 left in the game, the Lakers were leading the Thunder 108-107 when Luka Dončić was given his second technical foul and was shockingly ejected from the contest.
The call was ridiculous considering that Luka wasn’t barking at the referee or a Thunder player, but responding to a fan who was talking trash to the Lakers star.
Luka was ejected in the 4th quarter after receiving his 2nd technical vs. OKC pic.twitter.com/CPVBOSzI1j
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 9, 2025
Once the ejection was called, Luka tried to explain that he wasn’t talking to referee J.T. Orr but to a fan. However, no amount of arguing was going to change the call; he was out of the game.
It became the turning point as Los Angeles was never able to recover and was outscored the rest of the way 29-12, losing the contest 136-120.
Ideally, the game is decided between the players, but Luka getting ejected for responding to a fan robbed us of an epic ending between two of the best teams in the NBA.
“It was a great game, Redick said. “Unfortunately, didn’t get to sort of finish out the way that I think every basketball fan would want. Because of some decision-making on some individuals' parts.”
After the game, Tony Brothers, a referee who was a part of this game’s officiating crew, explained why the tech was given, and his response felt like alternative facts.
Pool report from Lakers-Thunder: pic.twitter.com/WNIzC2rWjS
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 9, 2025
Luka was called for a tech earlier in this game for his words also by referee Orr and after the loss, Jarred Vanderbilt said that the calls against Luka seemed personal.
Jarred Vanderbilt says when Luka Doncic picked up his first technical foul, referee J.T. Orr said he would “talk to anybody but Luka.” Vanderbilt said that the techs Doncic received “seem personal” pic.twitter.com/v7UGsaO8JW
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 9, 2025
During his postgame availability, Luka kept his comments brief. He said the play was just him talking to a fan and that he’ll never eject a fan, but he will talk back if they talk. Luka said his words were not at all directed toward any officials.
“That had nothing to do with the refs,” Luka Doncic says. pic.twitter.com/jpyeNO7OjZ
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) April 9, 2025
What’s frustrating from the Lakers’ perspective is that this mistake effectively ended their chances of winning the contest. Why didn’t they rescind the technical foul once they realized he was talking to a fan?
In fact, why are they still insisting he was talking directly to a ref when there is video evidence showing that he was not?
Couldn’t all the officials get together and sort this out? This felt like a scenario in which, regardless of the truth, the call was made, and no proof of what happened would be considered.
The NBA has to find a way to amend these kinds of errors. This game was a wonderful contest, but instead of talking about that, now all the chatter will be about this call.
With the league about to enter the playoffs, everyone wants to focus on the best players in the world competing at the highest level.
No one wants to talk about refs ruining the game we love. Something needs to be done about this, and hopefully, this is the last time this year an error of this magnitude causes a game to shift.
Luckily, the Lakers still control their destiny, and this game doesn’t have to change the trajectory of their season.
They hold tiebreakers over most of the teams in the West, and with one more win, they clinch a playoff berth. With two more victories, they can secure the third seed.
The Lakers have three games left before the regular season comes to a close.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.