During the first half of Saturday night’s highly anticipated showdown between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, Lakers star Luka Doncic took multiple blows to the face. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 111-101, improving to 46-18 in the season. The Lakers dropped to 40-22 with the loss.
However, the bigger storyline wasn’t the score—it was the repeated hits to Doncic’s face. The first occurred when Al Horford’s knee struck him after the Celtics forward spun off the rim following a dunk. A video of the incident quickly surfaced on Twitter:
This is the call Jaylen Brown is arguing. Should this hit to Luka Doncic face have been called an offensive foul or nah? https://t.co/43hN8v6dXY pic.twitter.com/jgWjcIW7IS
— The HoopFather (@TheHoopFather) March 9, 2025
Later, Jaylen Brown hit Doncic in the face on a play initially ruled an offensive foul, but the call was overturned after a coach’s challenge. The reversal sparked debate online about whether Brown’s contact warranted the foul.
Al Horford kicking Luka in the face on the dunk 💀 pic.twitter.com/NMvfro56vI
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) March 9, 2025
Despite the rough first half, Doncic avoided serious injury. As Kyle Koster put it, getting hit in the face once is bad enough – twice in one half is downright brutal.
Rivalry between Jaylen Brown and Luka Doncic reached new heights
The on-court rivalry between Jaylen Brown and Luka Doncic reached new heights in just one half of their latest showdown. Now with the Lakers, Doncic faced Brown for the first time since the 2024 NBA Finals, a matchup that carried plenty of weight.
According to Marc Spears on The Cedric Maxwell Podcast, Brown’s Finals defense was so stifling that it led the Dallas Mavericks to question Doncic’s leadership and conditioning. Spears said that Brown “shut him down,” guarding him full court and making his offense “unbearable.”
Here’s the video; it starts at 39:57:
From the opening tip, Brown’s defensive intensity set the tone. Fully locked in, he stripped Doncic for a transition opportunity, while Doncic responded by drawing a foul on a three-point attempt. In another heated moment, Brown’s elbow caught Doncic’s face on a layup – initially ruled an offensive foul but overturned on review.
The energy in the arena reflected the stakes, and at the heart of it all was Brown vs. Doncic.
READ: While LeBron James Fought Boston, Bronny Put On a G League Masterclass
I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
