Lakers star Luka Doncic will be out for the team's next game against the East-leading Detroit Pistons. Doncic received his 16th technical foul of the year, meaning he faces a mandatory one-game suspension.
It looked like Luka Doncic and Goga Bitadze were exchanging words while Luka was shooting FT at the end of 3Q.
Another back-and-forth followed before both of them got up. https://t.co/gNBAwHYAAh pic.twitter.com/wAuNxxtzwl
- Khobi Price (@khobi_price) 22 March 2026
A technical foul occurred after an exchange of words between Doncic and Magic big man Goga Bitadze in the third quarter. Technical fouls were assessed on both players, placing Doncic on the number requiring suspension.
Although the technicality may have been overturned by the NBA, the moment draws attention to the conversation that has taken place between the six-time All-Stars throughout the season. Doncic has committed several technical fouls for arguing with officials, including in the Lakers' 120–113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 5.
In post-game comments obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Doncic was clear about how he felt about the technical and advocated for a level of fairness in the officiating of the game.
"Just because I yelled at him, I guess. That's what he said," Doncic said of his moment with referee Ed Malloy on March 5. "But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and I didn't get a technical. And that's my problem, you know, I was trying not to talk at all. That's the first thing I said – no warning or anything."
Doncic's suspension is significant as the Lakers look to test their status as contenders against the red-hot Detroit Pistons, who recently made the NBA playoffs for the second consecutive season.
