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Lakers collapse in loss to Thunder after Luka Dončić gets ejected for a remark to an OKC fan that the referee mistakenly believed was aimed at him

Posted on by Sharkteelix
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09
Apr
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Lakers Collapse Late as Luka Dončić Ejected in Controversial Loss to Thunder

In a dramatic turn of events on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a critical 136-120 defeat to the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder — a game that shifted drastically following the late-game ejection of Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić. The ejection stemmed from a controversial second technical foul after a courtside comment that referees mistakenly believed was directed at an official. What had been a tight and thrilling contest quickly unraveled for the Lakers, who are fighting for playoff positioning in a crowded Western Conference.

Luka Dončić Ejected After Verbal Exchange with Fan
With just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Lakers holding a narrow 109-108 lead, Dončić scored a contested layup and made his way back down the court. On his way, he exchanged words with a courtside fan. Referee J.T. Orr, however, interpreted Dončić’s remark as profanity aimed at him and immediately issued the guard a second technical foul, resulting in an automatic ejection from the game.

The fan in question, Jeremy Price, later told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that Dončić had responded to his heckling with an expletive, but that it was clearly directed at him — not the official. “During the game within the game, I mentioned that he was short and he missed it, and he turned around and shot an expletive back. J.T. happened to see it and T’d him up,” Price explained.

Despite this, referee Tony Brothers — speaking on behalf of the officiating crew — confirmed that Dončić was ejected for using vulgar language directly toward a game official. Dončić himself echoed Price’s version during his postgame interview, insisting that the comment was directed at the fan, not the referee.

Thunder Take Over After Ejection
At the moment Dončić was tossed, the Lakers were leading by one and holding their own in a back-and-forth battle. But after the ejection, everything fell apart. Oklahoma City capitalized on the momentum shift and closed the game on a dominant 28-11 run. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied the game at 108-108 with the technical free throw, then added another after Jarred Vanderbilt was hit with a technical just 13 seconds later.

Though Austin Reaves briefly put the Lakers back in front with two free throws, Oklahoma City responded with a clutch 3-pointer from Alex Caruso, taking a 112-110 lead that they would never surrender. From that point forward, it was all Thunder.

Playoff Implications for the Lakers
The loss carries significant weight for the Lakers, who are in a heated race for playoff seeding. Now sitting at 48-31, they remain third in the Western Conference but are only one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies. More concerning is the fact that they are just 1.5 games above the seventh seed — a position that would land them in the Play-In Tournament instead of an automatic playoff berth.

With only three games remaining in the regular season, every contest matters, and the loss to Oklahoma City could prove pivotal.

The Thunder, on the other hand, continue to assert their dominance. Having already clinched the No. 1 seed in the West, they used Tuesday’s game to showcase their offensive depth and ability to finish strong under pressure.

Stats Recap: Thunder Outshoot Lakers in High-Octane Duel
Before the ejection, the game had all the makings of a classic. Both teams came out firing in the first quarter, combining for 20 made three-pointers. The Thunder went 7-of-11 from deep, while the Lakers knocked down 9-of-13, resulting in a 43-43 tie after one.

Oklahoma City surged ahead with a 10-0 run in the second quarter to build a halftime lead, but the Lakers stormed back in the third with a 16-6 run to take the lead. Dončić gave L.A. a 108-107 advantage in the fourth, but that would be his final contribution before being sent to the locker room.

Dončić finished with 23 points, five assists, and three rebounds. LeBron James led the Lakers with 28 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while Austin Reaves chipped in 24 points and four three-pointers. The Lakers shot a respectable 45% (18-of-40) from three-point range.

Still, it wasn’t enough to match the Thunder’s efficient offensive attack. Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 42 points on 14-of-26 shooting, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. He also added six rebounds and six assists. Jalen Williams scored 26 points, and five Thunder players finished in double figures. OKC shot 50% from the field and a blistering 48.6% (18-of-37) from three.

Looking Ahead: Dončić Returns to Dallas in Emotional Matchup
Following the emotional and controversial finish in Oklahoma City, Luka Dončić now returns to Dallas, where his Mavericks are set to face the Lakers in what promises to be another highly charged encounter. All eyes will be on Dončić — not only for his on-court performance but also to see how the league responds to his ejection and the surrounding controversy.

For the Lakers, the pressure continues to mount. With playoff seeding on the line and their margin for error shrinking, every game — and every decision — could determine their postseason path.

Sharkteelix

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