Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers got a much-needed boost for Monday’s game against the Detriot Pistons. The NBA on Sunday rescinded the 27-year-old Slovenian star’s 16th technical foul, which would have suspended him for one game. Injury-wise, Doncic (hip), LeBron James (foot) and Austin Reaves (forearm) were all cleared on Thursday, after being listed questionable for over a week.
Why was Luka Doncic facing suspension
The technical was issued during Lakers’ Saturday win over the Orlando Magic, when Doncic and center Goga Bitadze were hit with a double technical following a brief on-court exchange. The incident occurred late in the third quarter while Doncic was at the free-throw line, though both players later gave differing explanations about what sparked the interaction.
Following the game, Doncic seemed hopeful. The Lakers quickly filed for an appeal, leading to the NBA’s decision on Sunday.
Familiar situation for Doncic
This isn’t the first time Doncic has narrowly avoided a suspension due to technical fouls. During his stint with the Dallas Mavericks, he twice reached the 16-technical threshold, only for the league to rescind the final call on both occasions.
Doncic is a key player for the Lakers’ campaign. He delivered a solid overall performance against Orlando, finishing with 33 points and eight assists. He struggled with efficiency in the second half, shooting just 2-of-13 and missing all seven of his three-point attempts, but still played a key role in extending the Lakers’ winning streak to nine games.
Update on LeBron James
Meanwhile, LeBron has etched his name even deeper into NBA history. With the win vs Magic, the four-time MVP surpassed Robert Parish for the most games played in league history.
James now stands alone at 1,612 career games, further solidifying his longevity and dominance across more than two decades in the NBA.
LeBron James’ games played, regular-season record vs each team
Atlanta Hawks: 67 (48-19)
Boston Celtics: 62 (34-28)
Brooklyn Nets: 63 (40-23)
Charlotte Hornets: 59 (50-9)
Chicago Bulls: 68 (37-31)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 25 (19-6)
Dallas Mavericks: 49 (31-18)
Denver Nuggets: 48 (23-25)
Detroit Pistons: 66 (42-24)
Golden State Warriors: 47 (27-20)
Houston Rockets: 50 (27-23)
Indiana Pacers: 67 (42-25)
Los Angeles Clippers: 53 (31-22)
Los Angeles Lakers: 30 (22-8)
Memphis Grizzlies: 53 (36-17)
Miami Heat: 48 (26-22)
Milwaukee Bucks: 62 (43-19)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 45 (33-12)
New Orleans Pelicans: 55 (38-17)
New York Knicks: 62 (44-18)
Oklahoma City Thunder: 43 (28-15)
Orlando Magic: 66 (42-24)
Philadelphia 76ers: 60 (42-18)
Phoenix Suns: 52 (31-21)
Portland Trail Blazers: 45 (30-15)
Sacramento Kings: 48 (30-18)
San Antonio Spurs: 47 (25-22)
Toronto Raptors: 64 (48-16)
Utah Jazz: 47 (32-15)
Washington Wizards: 61 (40-21)
LeBron James’ games played, playoff record vs. each team
Atlanta Hawks: 12 (12-0)
Boston Celtics: 41 (25-16)
Brooklyn Nets: 11 (8-3)
Charlotte Hornets: 5 (4-1)
Chicago Bulls: 21 (16-5)
Cleveland Cavaliers: N/A
Dallas Mavericks: 6 (2-4)
Denver Nuggets: 14 (5-9)
Detroit Pistons: 21 (15-6)
Golden State Warriors: 18 (11-17) — James has an additional win against the Warriors in the NBA’s play-in tournament.
Houston Rockets: 5 (4-1)
Indiana Pacers: 30 (20-10)
Los Angeles Clippers: N/A
Los Angeles Lakers: N/A
Memphis Grizzlies: 6 (4-2)
Miami Heat: 6 (4-2)
Milwaukee Bucks: 5 (4-1)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 (1-4)
New Orleans Pelicans: N/A — James did beat them in a play-in tournament game in 2024, though.
New York Knicks: 5 (4-1)
Oklahoma City Thunder: 5 (4-1)
Orlando Magic: 6 (2-4)
Philadelphia 76ers: 5 (4-1)
Phoenix Suns: 6 (2-4)
Portland Trail Blazers: 5 (4-1)
Sacramento Kings: N/A
San Antonio Spurs: 16 (5-11)
Toronto Raptors: 14 (12-2)
Utah Jazz: N/A
Washington Wizards: 16 (12-4)
