Tempers flared during the third quarter of Tuesday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans at Crypto.com Arena. As Dalton Knecht was about to score on a fastbreak, Bruce Brown committed a hard foul, which angered Luka Doncic and Jarred Vanderbilt. A scuffle quickly followed, forcing coaches and officials to step in and break it up.
“You can’t really blame the Lakers for being upset there,” the article states. Brown, who finished the game with four points (2-5 FG), five rebounds, one assist, and one steal, could have caused a serious injury when he grabbed Knecht’s arm and dragged him down. To make matters worse, he seemed to taunt the rookie and was seen smiling after the altercation.
The referees made sure Brown didn’t get away with it. The 28-year-old received a flagrant 1 foul and a technical foul, while Vanderbilt was also assessed a technical for his role in the incident.
It was notable that Lakers head coach JJ Redick immediately rushed over to Vanderbilt when the scuffle broke out, seemingly eager to keep him out of further trouble. This may be linked to a recent heated moment involving Vanderbilt.
Just last Thursday, Vanderbilt and Anthony Edwards got into a physical exchange during the Lakers’ game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, resulting in both players receiving technical fouls. Understandably, Redick likely wants to prevent such incidents from becoming a pattern.
Despite the confrontation, Vanderbilt had an impressive performance against the Pelicans. The 25-year-old put up a season-high 12 points (4-7 FG), along with eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks, contributing to the Lakers’ commanding 136-115 victory.
Doncic, meanwhile, continued his dominant run, leading the way for the Lakers with 30 points (9-19 FG), eight rebounds, 15 assists, one steal, and one block. The win improved their record to 39-21, marking their seventh straight victory.
On the other hand, the Pelicans dropped to 17-45, a sign that, unlike the surging Lakers, they are already looking ahead to next season.
Luka Doncic Also Cursed at a Referee During the Game
Brown wasn’t the only one Doncic had issues with that night. At one point, the five-time All-Star was caught on camera cursing at an official, apparently upset over a call.
Some fans noted that Doncic was swearing in Serbian rather than Slovenian. Given his past comments, this wasn’t a surprise. He once admitted, “I curse in four different languages to avoid technical fouls.” While it’s a clever strategy, he still racks up more technicals than most would expect.
Initially, Doncic had been keeping his emotions in check after arriving in Los Angeles, but he now appears to be back to his old fiery ways. Playing with his trademark confidence, he continues to deliver one thrilling performance after another.
Doncic and the Lakers will next take the court against the New York Knicks at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday at 10 PM ET, where fans can expect yet another standout showing.
