Luka Doncic, the LA Lakers' standout, will be absent from Monday's clash with the Washington Wizards due to a suspension triggered by his accumulation of technical fouls.
The NBA confirmed Doncic's suspension on Saturday after he picked up his 16th technical during Friday's 116-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The incident involved a brief scuffle with Nets forward Ziaire Williams, where both players were hit with technicals. Midway through the third quarter, tempers flared when Doncic pushed Williams, who retaliated with a swipe to Doncic's face.
This suspension will cost Doncic approximately $264,000, a figure calculated as 1/174 of his hefty $46 million salary for the season. According to league rules, reaching 16 technical fouls results in an automatic one-game suspension without pay. Any subsequent technicals will lead to further suspensions, with the financial penalty increasing to 1/145 of the player’s salary for each missed game.
Doncic narrowly avoided a similar fate last week when the NBA rescinded a technical from the Lakers' tight 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic on March 21, following an appeal from the team.
After the game on Friday, Doncic addressed the media about the altercation. "He was in my face three times, I just wanted to get out of there," Doncic explained.
"It's a double tech, of course. What can I say?
I didn't even talk, I just wanted to get out of there. They said my push was exaggerated, which was obviously not."
Despite the drama, Doncic delivered a stellar performance against the Nets, leading the Lakers with 41 points and eight rebounds, shooting 15-for-25 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.
Doncic is set to return on Tuesday for the Lakers' game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Lakers, sitting at 48-26, are in fine form, boasting nine wins in their last ten games. With eight games left in the regular season, they maintain a one-and-a-half game lead over the Denver Nuggets (47-28) for the third spot in the Western Conference.