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Lakers Appeal Luka Doncic Suspension Following Heated Altercation With Goga Bitadze

Posted : 22 March 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially launched an appeal to the NBA to rescind a technical foul assessed to star guard Luka Doncic. The incident occurred during the third quarter of Saturday’s 105-104 victory over the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center. If the league upholds the decision, Doncic will serve an automatic one-game suspension for accumulating 16 technical fouls this season.

The controversy began with 1:19 remaining in the third period as Doncic and Magic center Goga Bitadze exchanged words while jogging down the court. Officials assessed double technical fouls to both players, a move that triggered the league's mandatory discipline threshold for the Lakers’ superstar. The Lakers argue that the referees failed to issue a prior warning before making the game-altering call.

Doncic claimed after the game that Bitadze directed vulgar and highly personal insults toward his family during the encounter. He admitted to losing his composure but insisted that the provocation was too extreme to ignore. The Slovenian playmaker finished the night with 33 points and eight assists, helping Los Angeles extend their current winning streak to nine games.

Bitadze has denied making any disparaging comments regarding the family of the Lakers guard. The Orlando center explained that he understands Serbian and was merely responding to inappropriate language used by Doncic first. He stated that he respects all families and suggested the situation was a misunderstanding between the two international players.

The suspension would force Doncic to miss Monday’s upcoming road game against the Detroit Pistons. His absence would be a significant blow to a Lakers team currently sitting second in the Western Conference standings. Despite the looming discipline, Doncic made history on Saturday by becoming the first player to record nine straight 30-point games in a winning streak.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick and the front office remain hopeful that the league office will overturn the technical. They believe the context of the verbal exchange warrants a rescission of the foul. A final decision from the NBA is expected before the team tips off in Detroit tomorrow evening.

 

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