Luka Doncic after receiving 16th technical foul: 'I got to stand up for myself'

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doncic-luka/pQ4ZBK0o/"]Doncic[/a], 27, described the situation saying, [b]"[a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bitadze-goga/Y5BrRxee/"]Bitadze[/a] said 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."[/b][/p][embed guid="5ec630ad-8938-4c0e-a1c7-d673d2ae837c" url="https://x.com/khobi_price/status/2035545260454023674?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]However, Bitadze, 26, said [a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/48275615/lakers-appeal-nix-luka-doncic-16th-technical-foul" target="_blank"]in a phone interview[/a] that it was a retaliation for what Doncic said.[/p][p][b]"I would never directly say that. He just said some inappropriate things in the Serbian language, which, I played in Serbia, I understand.[/b][/p][p][b]"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 or anybody. His family, I really, truly respect them."[/b][/p][p][b]"He said something about my mother, which, it's really inappropriate," [/b]Bitadze continued. [b]"We don't say that stuff during the game. So I just said whatever he told me or about my mother and said it back."[/b][/p][embed guid="0b712dfa-39d5-4c8c-baa0-d17a184566f9" url="https://x.com/ESPNNBA/status/2035523907529097530?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/los-angeles-lakers/ngegZ8bg/"]Lakers[/a] appealed the technical foul and had it rescinded the next day, helping Doncic avoid the one-game suspension. Doncic finished the game with 33 points and eight assists as the Lakers went on to win their ninth straight game. [/p][p]He's the first player in Lakers history to score 30 points in nine games and win each of them.[/p]