During the Los Angeles Lakers’ 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night in Orlando, Luka Dončić picked up his 16th technical of the season after a heated exchange with Goga Bitadze. The moment now puts him at risk of suspension. But after the game, Dončić revealed what he claims triggered the incident, turning a routine call into a disputed and much larger story.
Luka Dončić Explains Heated Exchange With Goga Bitadze
Dončić and Magic big man Bitadze were involved in a verbal exchange while Dončić was at the free-throw line. After missing his first attempt, Dončić paused before taking the second, speaking with an official while pointing toward Bitadze. The exchange continued as both players moved up the court, leading referees to issue technical fouls to both.
Crew chief Marc Davis explained the decision in the postgame pool report.
“They were both warned to cease their comments directed towards one another between the two free throws,” Davis said. “After the free throw and as the ball entered the frontcourt, they were both correctly assessed technical fouls for their unsportsmanlike comments directed towards one another.”
The call marked Dončić’s 16th technical foul of the season, which automatically triggers a one-game suspension if not rescinded by the NBA.
After the game, Dončić explained what Bitadze said that led to his reaction, offering more details on what actually led to the incident:
“He said at the free throw, he would f**k my whole family. And at some point, this is basketball … At some point, I just can’t stand it. I gotta stand up for myself. But I know I gotta do better.”
Dončić acknowledged the consequences of his actions.
“Obviously, I let my team down getting that last tech,” Dončić said. “But honestly, I wasn’t trying to. … My teammates, I know they have my back, so I let them down today.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick suggested the situation may have been misunderstood due to language.
After he emphasized that the team will try to get the foul rescinded, Redick added: “I’m not sure what happened. I do know that there were certain things said in a language that the referees couldn’t understand in references to Luca’s mom. And, you know, again, I think they just…Austin gets targeted three times by Carter. They didn’t have real good control of that basketball game.”
However, Bitadze strongly disputed Dončić’s account and provided his version. His version of the event offers a completely different overview of the incident, painting Dončić as the initiator of the whole sequence.
As reported by ESPN’s Dave McMenamin: “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.
“He just said some inappropriate things in the Serbian language. I played in Serbia and I understand. 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. His family, I really, truly respect them.
“He said something about my mother, which is really inappropriate. We don’t say that stuff. … So I just said whatever he told me about my mother and said it back. That was pretty much it.”
That said, if the technical foul stands, Dončić will be suspended for the Lakers’ next game against the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
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Dončić has reached the 16-technical threshold before, but in previous instances, the NBA rescinded the final technical, allowing him to avoid suspension. From 2020 to 2023, he finished three straight seasons with 15 technical fouls and had 13 last season.
If upheld, Dončić will also face a $5,000 fine for each additional technical and further suspensions for every two technicals going forward. The timing is significant. The Lakers have now won nine straight games, their longest streak since the 2019-20 championship season, and Dončić is in the middle of a hot scoring streak.
He entered Saturday averaging 40.9 points over his previous eight games and finished with 33 points, eight assists, and five rebounds against Orlando.
