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The Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic were involved in a heated clash Saturday night, which ended with a game-winning shot from Luke Kennard to give Los Angeles a 105-104 victory.
Midway through the contest, Lakers star Luka Doncic committed his 16th technical foul of the season when he got into the game with Magic center Goga Bitadze. Doncic was chirping at Bitadze as the two ran down the court in the third quarter.
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) controls the ball against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at the Kia Center on March 21, 2026. (Nathan Ray Seebeck/Imagn Images)
Doncic shed light on the incident.
“I really hope [it is rescinded]” he told reporters after the game, via ESPN. “Obviously, I let my team down to get this latest technology. But honestly, I wasn’t trying. [Bitadze] said at the free throw, he would fuck my whole family. And at one point, it’s a basketball court. At some point I can’t stand it anymore. I have to defend myself. But I know I have to do better.
“My teammates, I know they have my back, so I let them down today. But I hope this gets overturned.”
Bitadze told ESPN and the Orlando Sentinel that Doncic insulted him in Serbian and he simply repeated the same words to him. He explained that Doncic said something about his mother and he told him the same thing again.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) shoots the ball past Orlando Magic Center Goga Bitadze (35) in 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 did,” Bitadze said. “And I really respect everyone’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, which I played in Serbia, I understand.
“I don’t know if he knew that I understood what he was saying. So, I just answered him. And it was nothing towards his family or anyone. His family, I really, really respect them.”
If Doncic does not win his appeal, he will be forced to sit out one game as a disciplinary measure for reaching the 16 technical foul threshold.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) passes the ball past Orlando Magic forward Jamal Cain (8) in 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 are No. 3 in the Western Conference.
