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Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers
MVP candidate Luka Doncic shared why he received a technical foul for talking trash to Goga Bitadze during last night’s game. The Los Angeles Lakers scored another clutch victory over the Orlando Magic to extend their winning streak to nine consecutive games. However, Doncic will get suspended for one game after hitting the technical foul limit of total allowed before a punishment unless the league takes action to rescind it.
Luka revealed in post-game interviews that Bitadze made a very personal comment about his family to warrant losing his cool:
“He [Goga] said at free throw that 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 have my back, so I let them down today. But hopefully it gets rescinded.”
Doncic confirmed the story of Bitadze crossing the line in another language that the referees couldn’t understand. Recent games have seen Luka trying to control his temper and avoid technical fouls with a suspension coming from his next one. Opposing teams are aware of this, so it would make sense that Bitadze was trying to get under Doncic’s skin.
Goga Bitadze Denied Luka’s Claims
The post-game interview for Bitadze featured him getting questions about his trash talk and was asked directly about Luka’s account of their trash talk. Orlando’s big man claimed that those comments never happened and vowed that he’d never say anything that personal.
Bitadze dropped the following quote about his actions:
“I have all the respect for Luka and what he has done. I really respect everybody’s family. Where I come from, it’s really sacred and we really respect each other’s family. I would never directly say that.”
Both guys have differing stories of what happened, and the league will have to make a big decision. Doncic hopes to get his technical foul rescinded since the NBA office has done this in the past if they feel it was an unfair call. However, it remains unlikely since the league would need concrete proof of what Bitadze said.
Luka Doncic Created Suspension Problem Himself
It is extremely understandable that Luka lost his cool if he is telling the truth about Bitadze saying something so terrible about his family. Unfortunately, the suspension comes from the accumulation of 16 technical fouls instead of just one specific incident or one single technical foul.
Doncic was criticized over the first half of the season for constantly complaining to the referees and not letting plays go. Too much talking caused Luka to keep getting technical fouls and forced himself in a difficult situation later in the season that opponents are trying to take advantage of.
Last season featured a lot of the same issues that put a brighter spotlight on Doncic entering the season. Previous mistakes led to Luka having a smaller margin for error with technical fouls now. The Lakers will have to play without their best player on the road against the Detroit Pistons, unless the league surprisingly rescinds the call.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford
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