Shy Gilgaus Alexander ruled over Oklahoma City in a game in which Lakers star Luka Donsic was kicked out late in the contest.
Shy Gilgaus Alexander scored 42 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder bouncing off to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 136-120, losing Luka Donsic in the fourth quarter in a controversial battle.
Two days after experiencing a 27-point loss to the Lakers, the No. 1 Thunder revenges that loss thanks to the 13th 40-point game of Tuesday’s season.
The contest was pivoted in a fourth-quarter incident where Lakers Slovenian star Don Sic picked up a second technical foul and removed from the game.
Donsic was kicked out after a one-handed jump shot. This led the Lakers to raise 108-107 with 7:40 minutes remaining after determining that crew member JT Orr had been verbally abused by a 26-year-old security guard after making the basket.
Donsic protested, claiming he was simply responding to courtside fans who held him, but the decision stood and clearly rattled the Lakers, allowing the Thunder to grab the initiative and pull away for victory.
“Unfortunately, it was a great game that didn’t score a finish to think every basketball fan would want some individual parts to make decisions,” Lakers manager JJ Reddick said.
LeBron James, who finished with 28 points, was at a loss to explain the emissions of his teammate Don Sic.
“I don’t know why REF is making it personal,” James told reporters. “Ref took it to himself as he thought it was more than he did. The game was weird like hell afterwards.”
Donsic claimed he never spoke of the trash. “It had nothing to do with ref, so I really didn’t understand it,” Donsic said. “It was tough, but you know it’s with me. I can’t disappoint my team like that.”
The Lakers remain third in a 48-31 record and will need to win two of the three regular season fixtures to lock their third seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
