SGA reacts to “normal basketball fight” between Lou Dort and Jeremy Fears

OKLAHOMA CITY — After the Marc Daigneault moment reaction to the fight between Lou Dort and Jeremy Fears at the end of Tuesday’s 104-95 win vs New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander revealed his position on this issue. The fight came after the final buzzer, which, for Dayno, could have been due to a foul by Dort that was overlooked for a nine-point lead in favor of the Thunder.

At least that’s what Daigneault assumed, while he believes the whistle could have prevented the confrontation between Dort and Fears. For Gilgeous-Alexander, he wasn’t sure exactly how it started from his perspective, but he also admitted that it did he didn’t expect anything malicious between two contestants.

“I wasn’t too sure what happened. I 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 wasn’t anything crazy. A typical basketball fight.”

Pelicans officials held court fears, through the tunneland right into the visitors’ locker room while New Orleans’ rookie point guard was still trying to break free and charge at Dort. There is no confirmation of what words were exchanged between the two when Dort shoved Fears more than once before both benches cleared.

WILD finish here as Lou Dort & Jeremiah Fears got into it and were immediately picked apart by their teammates.

Fears held him all the way back and through the tunnel as he was ALIVE and wanted to throw up his hands. He was chased off the field all the way to the Pelicans locker room pic.twitter.com/z9KkKlzGr5

— Joshua Pavon (@joe_svai) January 28, 2026

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

Mark Daigneault calls the officials for the Thunder/Pelicans fight

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

Despite the poor finish, Daigneault was honest in his understanding that Thunder veteran Lou Dort likely committed a foul that was overlooked, and tempers flared between Dort and Pelicans rookie Jeremy Fears.

“Two things about it. The first is: I thought they were good guys, a good team, but I thought they lost control of the game in the final minutes. That feud ended up starting way before that with the Bey and J-Will situation. I thought they could have come clean,” Daigneault said. “Then the other thing is: I think it’s a foul for Dort.”

“And if they did, they should blow the whistle on that play regardless of the score or time, because if they do, everybody stops playing, and you can handle the situation as you would otherwise. But since they didn’t blow the whistle, it’s game over. There’s nothing you can do about it, and you’re going to end up with that situation.”

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

Second, I think it was a foul on Dort. And if it was, they should have blown the whistle on that game regardless” pic.tvitter.com/vhzDoBbFKSb

— Joshua Pavon (@joe_svai) January 28, 2026

The Thunder improved to 37-10.