Sources: Lakers appeal to nix Luka Doncic's 16th technical foul - ESPN

ORLANDO — The Los Angeles Lakers have already appealed to the NBA to rescind Luka Doncic's technical foul from L.A.'s 105-104 win on Saturday, a team source told ESPN, while Doncic and Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze offered differing accounts of what led to the tech being called.

It was Doncic's 16th technical of the season. If it is not rescinded, he will have to serve a one-game suspension when the Lakers play the Detroit Pistons on Monday for reaching the threshold.

Referee Marat Kogut whistled Doncic and Bitadze for a double technical with 1:19 remaining in the third quarter after the two exchanged words while Doncic was at the free throw line.

«I'm definitely hoping [it is rescinded],» Doncic said after the game.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 f--- 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.

»My teammates, I know they have my back, so I let them down today. But hopefully, it gets rescinded."

Bitadze, in a phone interview with ESPN and the Orlando Sentinel, said Doncic cursed at him in Serbian first and Bitadze merely repeated the same curse back to him.

«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