Lakers Radio Announcer Absolutely Loses It Over Bizarre Luka Doncic Ejection

Safe to say he didn't agree with the decision.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) has a technical call against him during the second half of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) has a technical call against him during the second half of a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers appear to have suffered some magnitude of injustice during their Tuesday night loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which was a one-point game until the star's ejection changed everything. Doncic, who had already picked up a technical earlier in the game, was assessed a second one even though it certainly appears his commentary was directed at a Thunder fan previously profiled in the local paper and not an official.

Before everyone involved in the situation got the chance to weigh in on it, the Lakers radio crew of John Ireland had Mychal Thompson had the first crack at it. And they got their money's worth.

"Oh, this is an absolutely horrible decision by J.T. Orr," Ireland said. "Absolutely horrible. You cannot throw a star player out of an NBA game for talking to a fan. You cannot do this. This is unconscionable."

Makes you think!

"This is one of the worst pieces of officiating I have ever seen and I have done this for 25 years," Ireland added. "I hate this call and I would say the same thing if they were doing it to Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander]."

Thompson, for his part, was pretty calm, adding twice that Orr thought Doncic's comments were directed at him. A level-headed guy, that one.


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Kyle Koster
KYLE KOSTER

Kyle Koster is an assistant managing editor at Sports Illustrated covering the intersection of sports and media. He was formerly the editor in chief of The Big Lead, where he worked from 2011 to '24. Koster also did turns at the Chicago Sun-Times, where he created the Sports Pros(e) blog, and at Woven Digital.