LOS ANGELES — The Lakers star guard Luka Dončić is in jeopardy of getting a one-game suspension after picking up his 16th technical this season in Los Angeles' 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
With five minutes left in the third quarter, Dončić and Nets forward Zaire Williams both received a double technical after Dončić committed an offensive foul.
They both received techs after the officials reviewed the altercation, showing Dončić pushing Williams away and Williams retaliating by swinging his hand behind him, hitting Dončić in the face.
“Ziaire [Williams] hit my face three times. I just wanted to get out of there. It's a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn't even talk. I just wanted to get out there. They said my push was exaggerated, which was obviously not. I don't know what else to say in this case.”
This is the second time Dončić is facing a one-game suspension.
Last weekend, Dončić received his 16th technical foul in the Lakers' 105-104 win over the Magic after getting into a verbal back-and-forth with Orlando's center, Goga Bitadze.
The Lakers appealed that technical right after the game, which was later rescinded by the NBA.
Now, facing the same dilemma, coach JJ Redick was asked about the Lakers appealing the technical again after their ugly win over the Nets.
“I’m sure we will appeal it. I’m not sure; I didn’t see enough," coach JJ Redick said on appealing again.
If it holds, Dončić would miss the first night of the Lakers' last back-to-back games of the regular season against the Washington Wizards, who sit near the bottom of the NBA at 17-56.
Dončić has continued to push his MVP campaign in the second half of the season as he still leads the NBA in scoring at 33.6 points a game.
He posted another 40-point game in the Lakers' win against the Nets, scoring 41 points on 15 of 25 (60%) shooting and five made 3-pointers.
Dončić has scored 40 or more points (including a 60-point and 51-point game) in six of the Lakers' last 12 games.
The Lakers are 11-1 in that span, sitting No. 3 in the Western Conference with a 48-26 record.