Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić will serve a one-game suspension Monday night when the team hosts the Washington Wizards, the NBA confirmed after upholding the technical foul he received during Saturday’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The call marked his 16th technical of the season, triggering an automatic ban under league rules.
Head coach JJ Redick told reporters after Sunday’s practice that the All-Star is taking the penalty hard. “He’s disappointed,” Redick said. “He wants to be there for his teammates. He plays whenever he’s healthy, even when he’s banged up. He was the same way when I played with him in Dallas.”
Dončić’s absence interrupts a remarkable stretch in which he has scored at least 30 points in 12 consecutive games, pushing the Lakers to an 11-1 record during that run. Los Angeles enters Monday in third place in the Western Conference but remains only a few games ahead of several pursuers as the regular season winds down.
The Wizards arrive at Crypto.com Arena with the league’s worst record, having lost 18 of their past 19 contests. Washington is also on the second night of a back-to-back after falling to the Portland Trail Blazers by 35 points Sunday.
With Dončić sidelined—and Marcus Smart expected to miss a fourth straight game—Austin Reaves is likely to handle the bulk of the offensive load. Bronny James, who has impressed in recent appearances, could see expanded minutes, while Dalton Knecht and Kobe Bufkin may also enter Redick’s rotation.
Reaves recently questioned why Dončić trails Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama in most public MVP projections, citing his teammate’s historic scoring surge and the Lakers’ winning streak.
The Lakers and Wizards tip off Monday at 7:30 p.m. PT in Los Angeles.
Source: Lakers Nation
