Dončić says he was trash speaking fan slightly than ref earlier than ejection in Lakers loss | Luka Dončić

Luka Dončić didn’t look forward to his much-anticipated return to Dallas to crank up the drama.

The night time earlier than he faces the franchise with which he spent his first six-and-a-half NBA seasons, he was ejected from the Los Angeles Lakers’ 136-120 loss to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

Dončić scored 23 factors on Tuesday night time earlier than his ejection. He mentioned he was speaking trash backwards and forwards with a fan, however the officers thought he was directing abuse at a referee and he was ejected after selecting up a second technical foul.

“If [the fan is] going to speak, I’m going to speak again, like at all times,” mentioned Dončić. “That had nothing to do with the ref. So I didn’t actually perceive.”

The crew chief, Tony Brothers, mentioned Dončić had “appeared straight at an official and used vulgar language.”

The fan in query, Jeremy Worth, instructed ESPN he believed Dončić was shouting at him slightly than a referee. “Through the sport throughout the sport, I discussed that he was quick [on his shot] and he missed it, and he rotated and he shot an expletive again and [the referee] occurred to see it and, at that time, T’d him up,” Worth mentioned.

The ejection affected the trajectory of the sport. The Thunder outscored the Lakers 29-12 the remainder of the way in which.

“I imply, it was robust,” Dončić mentioned. “I imply, we have been proper there. I feel we fought the entire sport. … We got here again within the third quarter. We have been preventing, man. So it was robust to see that with this type of state of affairs to occur. And you already know, that’s on me too, so I can’t let my workforce down like that.”

Now, Dončić can deal with the Mavericks – the workforce he led to the NBA finals simply final season after profitable the scoring title. The five-time All-Star was amongst those that have been shocked when he was traded for Anthony Davis in February.

Although Dončić says he has bonded along with his new teammates, he appears to be like ahead to being again in Dallas.

“After all that’s going to be a whole lot of emotion for me,” he mentioned. “Like, how do we all know what to anticipate? I don’t understand how I’m going to really feel, truthfully. I’m wanting ahead to being again in Dallas. Clearly, with the followers, seeing my teammates – ex-teammates – it’s going to be a really emotional for me, for positive.”

Dončić is averaging 27.1 factors, 8.1 rebounds and seven.6 assists in 26 video games with the Lakers. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd is effectively conscious of the harm the versatile guard can inflict.

“He’s taking part in unimaginable, however that’s Luka,” Kidd mentioned. “Luka’s probably the greatest gamers on the earth. You’ve acquired to have the ability to present totally different defenses, and that’s even onerous. While you have a look at what he’s doing – he’s taking pictures the three, he’s attending to the rim and to the free-throw line and he’s setting the desk for his teammates. Our protection can be examined.”

LeBron James, who has had a number of returns all through his profession, mentioned he expects Dončić to be acquired warmly.

“I feel he’ll get a standing ovation and so they’ll clap and cheer,” James mentioned. “You’ll hear his title lots. That’s what I’m anticipating.”

James mentioned the workforce is ready to assist Dončić work by means of the weird circumstances.

“No matter he wants,” James mentioned. “I feel profitable would be the finest answer.”