Some of Luka Doncic’s Lakers teammates are at odds with the officiating in Tuesday’s 136-120 loss to the Thunder that saw the five-time NBA All-Star ejected after sparring with a spectator.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Lakers role player Jarred Vanderbilt claimed referee J.T. Orr would “talk to anybody but Luka” when Doncic received in the third quarter the first of his two technical fouls, according to ESPN.
When expanding on the game, which saw Doncic bounced with just minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Vanderbilt said the fouls “seem personal.”
With the Lakers leading, 108-107, with 7:40 remaining, Doncic received a second technical foul and was tossed after appearing to jaw with a fan seated in the front row in Oklahoma City.
The ref, it seems, thought Doncic was targeting him.
“He directed profanity at a game official,” crew chief Tony Brothers said when asked about Doncic’s first technical foul at the 4:02 mark of the third quarter.
When asked why Doncic received a second technical foul and then ejected, Brothers said, “He looked directly at an official and used vulgar language.”
The woes continued for the Lakers after Doncic’s ejection, including Vanderbilt being called for a technical.
“He was called for a technical foul for stepping towards and verbally taunting a player while the ball was dead,” Brothers said of the foul.
The Thunder ultimately went on a 24-8 run, forcing the Lakers to pull their starters and end the contest in the least satisfying way imaginable.
Much like Vanderbilt, LeBron James had something to say about the odd series of events.
“It was a weird couple of minutes after that, starting with the ejection,” James said. “I don’t know why the ref was taking it personal. He had already given Luka one [technical] and Luka knew that.”
Doncic has 86 technical fouls since 2021, the most in the NBA.
He has 14 this season, despite having missed significant portions of the year due to a calf injury sustained on Christmas Day while a member of the Mavericks.
The Lakers will return to action on Wednesday in Dallas, where Doncic will face his former teammates for the second time.
The NBA did not respond to The Post’s request for comment on the Doncic situation.