Luka Doncic out against Wizards as Lakers maintain absence is not for rest
Muhammed Asif
Host · Writer
Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Luka Doncic will not be on the court against the Washington Wizards on Monday. He is averaging 33.7 points per game as the Lakers have put him in serious minutes this whole season – this March, his average playing time is 37.3. Although tiredness is not the reason, he has been given some rest, nor is it because the team’s ranking in the Western Conference at number three is a sweet time to rest.
The Lakers have met the Wizards since Feb 2024, with their last meeting on Jan 30, five times, and they have won all of them. They might not feel the pressure, but Lakers fans will miss the cinema of not seeing their star after the foul Doncic committed in the last game against the Brooklyn Nets.
In that last game, the physical contact was his 16th personal foul after pushing Ziaire Williams when he was crossing Doncic – that was a small push, but Williams took immediate action by swinging his left hand, which went very close to Doncic’s face in the third quarter.
In the post-game press conference, he brushed aside that foul in these words:
“It was in my face three times,” Doncic said. “I just wanted to get out of there. It’s a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn’t even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. They say I push my push was exaggerated, which was obviously not.”
The NBA official release on Saturday reads:
“Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2025-26 season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.
“Doncic received his most recent technical foul with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on March 27 at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic will serve his suspension March 30 when the Lakers host the Washington Wizards.”
Who is coming to play? Is Bronny James going to play? Because in Saturday’s G League game, he finished with 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal on 9-of-12 shooting – it was stunning. On the other hand, Marcus Smart is dealing with an ankle injury. If he can make a comeback, he can help his team in Doncic’s absence:
“He’s making improvements. He’s still gonna be day-to-day,” said Redick on Smart. “I mean, that’s the hope. Again, he took two hits, one of which kind of banged his hip up. And the fall on his ankle, so he’s improving.”
But there’s not much to worry about, because after one game, Doncic will be back to gear up on Tuesday vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, with his post-rest fresh legs.
The Lakers’ standing in the Western Conference table: Thunder at the top with 58-16, Spurs next with 58-18, and Lakers 48-26 at third, while the Nuggets are behind at 48-26. With roughly two weeks left in the regular season, the race remains open.
