Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić received his 16th technical foul of the season during Saturday's game against the Orlando Magic, triggering an automatic one-game suspension. Unless the NBA rescinds the foul, Dončić will miss the Lakers' Monday road game at the Detroit Pistons.
The technical was called late in the third quarter after an exchange between Dončić and Magic center Goga Bitadze during a free throw sequence. Both players were assessed double technical fouls and ejected from the game. Dončić will also face a $5,000 fine. For every two additional technical fouls he receives beyond 16 for the remainder of the regular season, another one-game suspension is triggered automatically.
Under NBA rules, the 16-technical threshold results in an automatic unpaid suspension. The NBA had already rescinded one technical foul from Dončić earlier this season in what was described as a clear officiating error. In 2023, the league similarly rescinded Dončić's 16th technical foul while he was with Dallas. He finished three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2023 with exactly 15 technicals and had 13 last season.
The suspension arrives during one of the highest-scoring stretches of Dončić's career. He posted 60 points on 18-of-30 shooting against the Miami Heat on Thursday, extending the Lakers' winning streak to eight games. During the current streak, Dončić is averaging 40.9 points per game. The Lakers are 45-25, third in the Western Conference with 12 games remaining.
The game in Detroit on Monday would be a significant matchup, as the Pistons hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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