In a heated contest on Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers fell short to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 136-120. The loss marked a pivotal moment for the Lakers, particularly following the ejection of Luka Doncic early in the fourth quarter. LeBron James addressed the controversial incident in his postgame interview, acknowledging the shift in momentum and its impact on the rest of the game.
The Lakers were holding a slim 107-106 lead when Doncic was tossed from the game after picking up his second technical foul. The ejection, stemming from a back-and-forth exchange with a courtside fan, left Los Angeles in a vulnerable position.
James reflected on the strange turn of events. “It was a weird, weird couple of minutes after that, starting with the ejection,” he said. “I don’t know why the ref was taking it personal. He had already given Luka one, and Luka knew that.”
According to James, the interaction with the fan seemed to escalate the situation, and the referee’s response felt overly personal. The Lakers’ star also noted another technical foul on Jarred Vanderbilt following a block, which further compounded the chaos of the moment.
James wasn’t shy about acknowledging how the game’s dynamics shifted post-ejection. “The game got weird. This is a playoff atmosphere,” the four-time NBA champion continued. “Both teams knew that this was going to be a playoff-type competition, playoff-type feeling.” The atmosphere quickly turned volatile, making it difficult for the Lakers to regroup.
With Doncic ejected, the Lakers struggled to maintain their composure. Oklahoma City took control in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Lakers 29-12 in the final stretch. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 42 points, including a crucial step-back three-pointer that gave OKC a five-point lead midway through the period. Despite James’ 28-point performance and Austin Reaves’ 24-point contribution, the Lakers couldn’t recover from the momentum swing.
LeBron emphasized that the focus remains on the team’s next challenge. “We’ve still got more work to do. We’ve got three games left, and we need to win two of the three to secure the number three seed,” James said, hinting at the urgency as the Lakers approach the playoff race.
Although the Lakers were outpaced by the Thunder’s offensive efficiency, they were more aggressive, attempting 15 more free throws than Oklahoma City. However, it wasn’t enough to counter OKC’s shooting prowess and the Lakers’ turnover struggles. James admitted that physicality played a significant role in the game, but ultimately, Oklahoma City’s execution outshone Los Angeles in the final stretch.
Turning to the future, James also discussed the emotional aspect of their upcoming game against the Dallas Mavericks. Doncic’s first return to Dallas since his trade to the Lakers is set to be an emotional one. “I think he’ll get a standing ovation, people will clap and cheer, and he’ll hear his name a lot,” James noted.
As for the Lakers’ role in supporting Doncic, LeBron emphasized camaraderie. “Tomorrow is going to be full of emotions for Luka, both internally and externally. Our job is just to do our job,” James said. “If we do our job on the floor, we’ll help him tremendously.”
The loss drops the Lakers to 48-31, still holding onto the third spot in the Western Conference but only one game ahead of a tight pack of teams vying for the same position.
