Magic's Goga Bitadze places blame amid likely Luka Doncic suspension

Los Angeles Lakers star and NBA MVP contender Luka Doncic is likely headed for a one-game suspension after receiving a technical foul in Saturday night's 105-104 victory over the Orlando Magic. Doncic picked up his 16th technical foul of the season during a confrontation with Magic center Goga Bitadze. The Lakers star explained what led to the technical foul, suggesting Bitadze said something about Doncic's family which resulted in the harsh reaction. "I'm definitely hoping [it is rescinded]," Doncic said after the game. "Obviously, I let my team down getting that last tech. But honestly, I wasn't trying to. [Bitadze] said at the free throw, he would [expletive] my whole family. And at some point, this is a basketball court. At some point, I just can't stand it. I got to stand up for myself. But I know I got to do better." More College Basketball: NCAA Tournament Team Loses Head Coach Days After First Round Loss Bitadze offered a differing point of view, placing the blame on Doncic, who the Magic center claimed started the verbal confrontation. "I have all the respect for Luka and what he has done," Bitadze said. "And I really respect everybody's family. Where I come from, it's really sacred and we really respect each other's families, and I would never directly say that. He just said some inappropriate things in the Serbian language, which, I played in Serbia, I understand. "I don't know if he knew I understood what he said. So, I just said it back. And it was nothing towards his family or anybody. His family, I really, truly respect them." When asked to describe the verbal exchange between the two that led to both receiving technical fouls, Bitadze said: "He said something about my mother, which, it's really inappropriate. We don't say that stuff during the game. ... So I just said whatever he told me or [about] my mother [and] said it back." Bitadze added: "It was just in the heat of the moment. I heard what he said, and I felt like I had to respond the same way. So, from my side, if he feels like I said something too much or crossed the line, I apologize as a man. I can take [accountability], but I didn't say anything, but what he said." After the game, crew chief Marc Davis explained, Both Dončić and Bitadze were both assessed technical fouls for their continual taunting of one another." "They were both warned to cease their comments directed towards one another between the two free throws. After the free throw and as the ball entered the frontcourt, they were both correctly assessed technical fouls for their unsportsmanlike comments directed towards one another," he added. If Doncic's technical foul is upheld he'll be forced to sit out one game.