The Los Angeles Lakers have been on a hot streak since acquiring Luka Dončić, positioning themselves as strong contenders for the NBA title in the upcoming playoffs. However, maintaining Dončić on the court is crucial for LA’s success, a fact highlighted during a tense game against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
With just under eight minutes left in the game, Dončić gave the Lakers a 108-107 lead and turned to the crowd, seemingly making a comment. While the exact words remain unclear, referee JT Orr interpreted it as disrespectful and assessed Dončić a technical foul. Since it was his second of the night, this led to his ejection at a critical juncture.
LUKA EJECTED.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 9, 2025
John Ireland, who was commentating for ESPN Los Angeles with Mychal Thompson, was enraged by the officiating decision. “YOU CANNOT DO THIS!” he exclaimed, reflecting the strong emotions surrounding Dončić’s ejection.
“YOU CANNOT DO THIS!” 💢
John Ireland & Mychal Thompson were NOT HAPPY at Luka’s ejection vs. the Thunder #LakeShow https://t.co/VFmf0Mt3lv pic.twitter.com/ijPgKg1Nfj
— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) April 9, 2025
“This is absolutely horrible decision by JT Orr. You cannot throw a star player out of an NBA game for talking to a fan,” Ireland argued. Thompson added that the referee mistakenly thought Dončić was addressing him. Both commentators uniformly condemned the decision, emphasizing its unfairness in a high-stakes game.
“The free throw is good to tie the game at 108. You cannot, Michael, throw a star player out of the game for talking to a fan,” Ireland reiterated, while Thompson defended the referee’s perspective, stating, “The referee thought he was talking to him.” Ireland’s frustration grew as he remarked on the importance of star players in a game of such caliber, decrying it as one of the worst officiating errors he’d witnessed in his 25 years of experience.
The fallout of this decision was palpable, with the Thunder capitalizing on the moment to eventually secure a 136-120 victory. The Lakers are currently in a fierce battle for playoff positioning, and this loss could have significant implications on their seeding. It’s certain that Lakers fans will not forget this incident should Orr officiate any of their playoff games.
For what it’s worth, Dončić later confirmed that he was indeed speaking to a fan and not the referee. Source
