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The Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic were involved in a heated clash on Saturday night that ended with Luke Kennard hitting the game-winning shot to give LA a 105-104 victory.
Midway through the contest, Lakers star Luka Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season when he got into it with Magic center Goga Bitadze. Doncic chirped at Bitadze as the two ran down the floor in the third quarter.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at the Kia Center on March 21, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
Doncic shed some light on the incident.
“I certainly hope so [it is rescinded],” he told reporters after the game, via ESPN. “Obviously, I let my team down by getting the last piece of technology. But honestly, I didn’t try. [Bitadze] said at the free throw he wanted to f— my whole family. And at one point this is a basketball court. At some point I just can’t stand it. I have to stand up for myself. But I know I have to do better.
“My teammates, I know they have my back, so I let them down today. But hopefully that will be undone.”
Bitadze told ESPN and the Orlando Sentinel that Doncic cursed at him in Serbian and he just repeated the same words back at him. He explained that Doncic said something about his mother and he repeated the same thing back to him.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) shoots the ball past Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (35) during the second quarter at the Kia Center on March 21, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
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“I have all the respect for Luka and what he has done,” Bitadze said. “And I really respect everybody’s family. Where I come from, it’s really sacred and we really respect each other’s families, and I would never say that directly. He just said some inappropriate things in the Serbian language that I’ve played in Serbia, I understand.
“I don’t know if he knew I understood what he said. So I just said it back. And it wasn’t against his family or anybody. His family, I really, really respect them.”
If Doncic does not win his appeal, he will be forced to sit out one game as discipline to hit the 16 technical foul limit.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball past Orlando Magic forward Jamal Cain (8) during the second quarter at the Kia Center on March 21, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
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The Lakers are 46-25 and No. 3 in the Western Conference.
