Austin Reaves Confronts Fan After Luka Doncic Injury

Austin Reaves confronted a fan who mocked Luka Dončić after Luka went down with an injury in the third quarter, yelling "f--k you" as the spectator quipped that Dončić "wouldn't have to play defense anymore." Dončić was evaluated and cleared by trainers but did not return, and the Lakers lost 139-96 to the Thunder — a 43-point defeat tied for the seventh-worst in franchise history. Merlin sees loyalty and risk in the same moment. Reaves defending a teammate sends a clear message about clubhouse chemistry but invites league scrutiny and headlines. JJ Redick’s decision to keep Luka out despite clearance reads as sensible risk management when the game was out of hand, yet the rout exposes deeper on-court problems the team must solve quickly while handling the off-court fallout.