Luka Doncic put up 42 points against the Miami Heat. A day later, the NBA took one technical foul off his record.
The league announced Tuesday, Nov. 3, that it rescinded the technical assessed to Doncic with 1:12 left in the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 138-117 win over Miami. The NBA Official announcement said the league office reviewed the play before reversing the call.
Klay Thompson made the technical free throw to cut the Lakers’ lead to 72-67, according to the play-by-play. That point stands. The ruling takes the foul out of Doncic’s regular-season technical total, the number the NBA uses to determine when an automatic suspension kicks in.
Why One Technical Foul Matters for Luka Dončić
The Lakers saw both sides of that rule in an eight-day stretch last March.
Doncic was assessed what would have been his 16th technical of the season against the Orlando Magic on March 21. The NBA rescinded that call, clearing him to play against the Detroit Pistons. Six days after the Orlando game, he picked up another technical against the Brooklyn Nets. That one stuck, and Doncic had to sit out against the Washington Wizards on March 30.
Under NBA rules, a player is automatically suspended for one game without pay upon receiving his 16th technical foul of the regular season. Every two additional technicals that season bring another one-game suspension.
Tuesday’s decision came eight games into the Lakers’ season. March showed how the same kind of review can decide whether Doncic is in the lineup when the count gets close to 16.
Dončić Puts Up 87 Points in Two Nights for the Lakers
The technical came in the middle of Doncic’s second big night in as many days. He had 45 points and 15 assists Sunday against Toronto, then followed with 42 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds Monday against Miami. That’s 87 points and 28 assists across two Lakers wins.
Doncic hit six 3-pointers against Miami, extending his streak of games with at least 37 points to five, according to the Associated Press recap on NBA.com. Austin Reaves added 27 points, and Walker Kessler finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds as Los Angeles improved to 6-2.
The Heat were still within seven at halftime. The Lakers opened the third quarter on an 11-0 run, stretching that lead to 18 before Miami scored again. By the time Doncic hit the late 3-pointer that put him over 40, the Lakers had turned a five-point game at the time of the technical into a lead that reached 24.
NBA Announces Decision on Luka Doncic Penalty After 42-Point Night vs. Heat