Luka Doncic ejected as Lakers fall to Thunder

The Lakers dropped one of the wildest and most emotional games of the season, 136-120, Tuesday night in Oklahoma City. Luka Doncic was ejected midway through the fourth quarter after he received his second technical foul of the game.

The technical was given by an official who thought Doncic was complaining about a call, despite it seeming as though Doncic was actually talking to a fan. The Thunder proceeded to outscore LA by 17 points the rest of the way. The game certainly gave the Lakers a lot to learn.

LUKA EJECTED???????? pic.twitter.com/Ajpraipldd

— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) April 9, 2025

Hot Shooting 

Despite the loss, the Lakers for the second straight game got it going from downtown. LA shot 45% from three on 40 attempts as a team to follow up their 55% shooting performance from downtown on Sunday.

Austin Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith led the way with four threes each, while Doncic and James each had three of their own. Jordan Goodwin also added two threes, making it five Lakers who hit multiple shots from deep.

Almost all of the Lakers’ looks were open ones, and it’s clear the big three of Doncic, Reaves, and James continue to give opposing defenses fits on the perimeter. It is also important to note that this was all done without 41% three-point shooter Rui Hachimura, who was ruled out due to injury.

Thunder Offense Finds Its Groove

After being held under 100 by the Lakers on Sunday, the Thunder’s offense came back ready to roll. OKC put up 37 or more points in three of the four quarters, including 39 in the final frame to close out the game.

As usual, OKC was led by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who put up 42 points. Jalen Williams added 26, Lu Dort had 17, and Chet Holmgren and Cason Wallace both reached double figures.

The Thunder shot 50% from the field as a team, 48% from three, and outscored the Lakers by 24 points in the paint. These aspects will be crucial for the Lakers to improve on if they run into OKC in the playoffs.

Lakers Turnover Issues Continue

Turnovers, especially in close games like tonight, continue to hurt the Lakers. Tonight they turned the ball over 18 times, which OKC turned into 29 points.

LeBron James had six of those turnovers, and Doncic, Reaves, and Vanderbilt combined for 10. The Thunder already average 120 PPG on the season, making it almost impossible to beat them when giving up the ball at a high rate.

Up Next

Despite the loss, the Lakers are still two wins away from securing the third seed. This means they need to go at least 2-1 to end the season to avoid dropping in the standings, assuming the Nuggets and/or Grizzlies win out.

The Lakers are in store for yet another extremely emotional game tomorrow night when they face the Mavericks in Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas. It will also be Anthony Davis’s first game against the Lakers since the blockbuster trade. The game is set for 4:30 p.m. PDT on ESPN and Spectrum Sportsnet.