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Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after being called for a foul during the second quarter fof the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 5, 2026 in Denver, Colorado.
Slovenian guard Luka Doncic is just one technical foul away from an automatic one-game suspension. The Los Angeles Lakers star received his 15th technical foul of the season during the 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.
Doncic was upset at the referee for not sending him to the free-throw line after his contested midrange shot at the 5:53 mark of the second quarter. However, Doncic seemingly didn’t complain much and ran back in transition, a big change from his usual tendency to constantly whine when a call doesn’t go his way.
That’s precisely why Doncic was shocked that the referee waited until the Nuggets made a basket at the other end before issuing a technical.
Luka Doncic Reacts to 15th Technical
“I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn’t get a tech,” Doncic said after the game, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“And that’s my problem. … I was trying not to talk at all. This is the first thing I said, no warning or nothing.”
After the game, NBA Crew Chief referee Ed Malloy try to justify why Doncic was issued a technical, even though he wasn’t seen complaining like his usual self.
“Doncic was issued a technical foul for using profanity towards a referee. We are trained not to stop an offensive transition when calling a technical foul on the defense,” he said in the NBA’s pool report for the Lakers vs. Nuggets game.
In the lead up to the game, Lakers head coach JJ Redick spoke bluntly about Doncic being “aware” that he’s nearing a 1-game suspension.
“He’s aware that he’s close. And he’s trying [to not draw more],” he said, via ESPN.
Lakers Face Tough Reality
Doncic (15) is second in the league in technical fouls this season, behind only Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (16) and above only Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart (12) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (11).
The 27-year-old has routinely finished in the top three in technical fouls in recent years, as he picked up 15 in the 2022-24 season and 13 in the 2024-25. Last season, he had 13 technicals in just 50 games, ranking fourth in the entire league.
The Lakers (37-25), just 2.0 games ahead of the seventh-seeded Phoenix Suns (35-27), can obviously ill-afford to be without Doncic for even a game during the stretch run of the season, as they try to secure a guaranteed playoff berth.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic is just one technical foul away from an automatic one-game suspension.