The NBA told the Los Angeles Lakers that they are rescinding the second technical foul given to guard Luka Doncic during the Lakers' loss to Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported.
Doncic was assessed two technical fouls during Tuesday's game, and the pool report said the second one came because Doncic "looked directly at an official and used vulgar language." However, Doncic was not directing vulgar language at a referee, but instead trash-talking with a fan that he has interacted with numerous times before.
"I never got a fan ejected," Doncic said after the game. "Never. I think, let them talk and I'm gonna talk back like always. It had nothing to do with the ref, so I don't really understand."
Since it was his second technical foul of the night, Doncic was ejected, which turned out to be a crucial turning point in the game. At the time of his ejection, Doncic had just scored on a jumper which gave the Lakers a 108-107 lead. Right after he was forced out of the game, the Thunder went on a 24-8 run and went on to win the game 136-120.
The decision cost the Lakers a chance at beating the Thunder to improve their odds at clinching the No. 3 seed. The loss also ensured the Houston Rockets clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
Though the NBA rescinding the technical foul on Wednesday won't help the Lakers get back a possible win against the Thunder, it is still important because that foul marked Doncic's 14th technical on the season, meaning he was two technical fouls away from a one-game suspension. Now, Doncic is three such fouls away instead.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as NBA Rescinds Technical Foul Assessed to Luka Doncic for Misinterpreted Trash Talk .
