Thunder’s SGA reacts to ‘normal basketball scuffle’ between Lu Dort, Jeremiah Fears

OKLAHOMA CITY — After Mark Daigneault’s instant reaction to Lu Dort and Jeremiah Fears’ scuffle at the end of Tuesday’s 104-95 win against the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander revealed his take on the matter. The fight took place after the final buzzer, which, for Daigneault, could have been because of a foul Dort committed that was overlooked due to the nine-point advantage in favor of the Thunder.

At least that’s what Daigneault assumed, whereas he believes a whistle could have prevented Dort and Fears’ conflict. For Gilgeous-Alexander, he wasn’t sure exactly how it started from his perspective, but he also admitted that he didn’t anticipate anything vicious between the two competitors.

“I wasn’t too sure what happened. I had heard them going back and forth after the last two free throws,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “But I wasn’t sure what happened. Then, I turned around, and they were face-to-face. I’m sure it was nothing crazy. Typical basketball scuffle.”

Pelicans’ officials held Fears back from the court, through the tunnel, and straight to the visitors’ locker room as the New Orleans rookie guard was still trying to get free and charge at Dort. There’s been no confirmation as to which words were exchanged between the two when Dort shoved Fears more than once before both benches cleared.

WILD finish here as Lu Dort & Jeremiah Fears got into it and were immediately separated by their teammates.

Fears held allll the way back and through the tunnel as he was LIVID and wanted to throw hands. He was forced from the court all the way toward the Pelicans’ locker room pic.twitter.com/z9KxKlzGr5

— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) January 28, 2026

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 29 points led five Thunder players in double figures, including Chet Holmgren’s double-double (20 points, 14 rebounds) with five assists, five blocks, and Isaiah Joe’s 17 points, including six threes, led OKC’s bench. Lu Dort added 12 points, eight rebounds, and three assists, and Jeremiah Fears added seven points off the bench for New Orleans.

Mark Daigneault calls out officials for Thunder/Pelicans fight

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault says tempers reached a boiling point between his team and the Pelicans in the final minutes of a nine-point win for the defending champions. After the Thunder’s two rare consecutive losses at home to the Pacers and the Raptors, the defending champions closed out their three-game home stand with a nine-point victory against the Pelicans.

Despite the scrappy finish, Daigneault was honest in his take that Thunder veteran Lu Dort likely committed a foul that went overlooked, and tempers flared between Dort and Pelicans rookie Jeremiah Fears.

“Two things on it. The first one is: I thought good guys, good crew, but I thought they lost control of the game in the final minutes. That altercation at the end started well before that with the Bey and J-Will situation. I thought they could have managed that cleaner,” Daigneault said. “Then, the second thing is: I think that’s a foul on Dort.

“And if it was, they should put a whistle on that play regardless of the score and the time, because if they do that, everybody stops playing, and you can legislate the situation as you normally would. But, because they didn’t put a whistle on it, it’s the end of the game. You can do nothing about it, and you end up with that situation.”

Mark Daigneault’s response to the Dort/Fears scuffle: “Two things… first, good guys, good crew, but I thought they lost control of the game in the final minutes…

Second, I think that was a foul on Dort. And if it was, they should put a whistle on that play regardless” pic.twitter.com/whzDoBbFXb

— Josue Pavón (@Joe_Sway) January 28, 2026

The Thunder improved to 37-10.

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