Lakers’ Luka Doncic Controversy Continues as Magic Player Fires Back

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Luka Doncic is the first Laker since Kobe Bryant to score 60 points

The Los Angeles Lakers escaped Orlando with a 105-104 win over the Magic on Saturday night. It was another big performance from Luka Doncic, who notched his 35th game this season with at least 30 points, five assists, and five rebounds, setting a new Lakers franchise record in the process.

But the result and the history were not the only talking points coming out of Saturday’s game.

With 1:19 left in the third quarter, Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season after an exchange with Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze. The 16th technical triggers an automatic one-game suspension. The Lakers are appealing. And after the game, Doncic explained exactly why.

Doncic Says Bitadze Crossed a Line

GettyLuka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers.

The exchange between the two players happened as they jogged back up the court after a Doncic free throw. What was said in those moments is now at the centre of a heated dispute.

Doncic was direct in his postgame comments. He said Bitadze made a vulgar remark about his family at the free throw line, and that he simply could not let it go.

“Obviously, I let my team down getting that last tech, but honestly I wasn’t trying to,” Doncic said. “He said at the free throw line he will f*** my whole family. And at some point, I just can’t stand it. I gotta stand up for myself, but I know I got to do better. My teammates definitely have my back, and I let them down today.”

The acknowledgment carried weight. Doncic knows the technical foul hurt his team. He also made clear he felt he had no choice but to respond.

Bitadze Pushes Back on Doncic’s Version of Events

GettyGoga Bitadze #35 of the Orlando Magic.

Bitadze told a different story. Speaking to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin after the game, the Magic big man denied making any remarks directed at Doncic’s family and suggested the exchange was triggered by something Doncic said first.

“I have all the respect for Luka and what he has done,” Bitadze said. “I really respect everybody’s family. Where I come from, it’s really sacred, and we really respect each other’s families. I would never directly say that.”

Bitadze added that Doncic had said something in Serbian, a language Bitadze understands from his time playing in Serbia, and that he responded in kind. “He just said some inappropriate things in the Serbian language. I don’t know if he knew I understood what he said, so I just said it back. It was nothing towards his family or anybody.”

He stopped short of a full denial, however. “I apologize if it crossed the line,” Bitadze said. “What Doncic came and said, I don’t think that’s the truth. I know that’s not the truth. I know what I said.”

Two players. Two very different accounts. The NBA will now decide what to make of it.

What Is at Stake for the Lakers

If the appeal is denied, Doncic will miss Monday’s game against the Detroit Pistons. For a Lakers team in the thick of the playoff race, losing their best player for any game at this stage of the season is a significant concern.

Doncic has been playing at an MVP level throughout his first full season in Los Angeles. Saturday’s performance extended his record to 35 games this season with at least 30 points, five assists, and five rebounds, the most such games in the league this year. He also became the first player in NBA history to score 30 or more points in nine straight games while winning all nine. His 215 career games with those numbers put him fifth all-time, just three behind James Harden.

Losing him for even one night would be felt.

Final Word for the Lakers

Doncic admitted he let his team down. He also stood by every word he said about what happened on that court.

The appeal will play out in the coming days. Whether the NBA agrees that the circumstances warranted leniency remains to be seen.

Either way, the Lakers got the win. Doncic made history. And the conversation around Saturday night will not stop until a decision is made.

Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins