The NBA has issued fines of $25,000 each to Oklahoma City Thunder‘s Lu Dort and New Orleans Pelicans‘ rookie Jeremiah Fears after a confrontation erupted at the end of their game on Tuesday at the Paycom Center. The altercation took place immediately after the final buzzer in the Thunder’s 104-95 victory, sparked by exchanged words that escalated when Dort shoved Fears, prompting both teams’ benches to clear.
Following the incident, Pelicans security personnel restrained Fears as he continued attempting to pursue Dort through the player tunnel toward the visiting locker room, showing intense frustration even after officials and players intervened to separate them.
Fears Responds Publicly After Tense Post-Game Incident
Hours after the contest, Jeremiah Fears addressed the incident via comments on an Instagram photo capturing the scuffle. In the post’s comment section, Fears directed a sharp remark toward Dort, writing “soft [as hell]” alongside three crying-laughing emojis, clearly indicating the heated emotions still present following the confrontation.
Comments from Thunder Coach Mark Daigneault on the End-Game Conflict
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault expressed that the escalation between Dort and Fears did not come as a surprise given how the referees had lost control over the game’s final moments. He pointed to an earlier incident involving a hard foul between Jaylin Williams and Saddiq Bey as the spark that intensified tensions, which ultimately led to the altercation at the end.
Daigneault elaborated,
“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.”
He further added,
“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.”
Background on Rising Intensity Between Teams During the Game
Tuesday’s matchup marked the third and final regular-season meeting between the Thunder and the Pelicans. The game grew increasingly physical in the closing minutes, with a hard foul between Williams and Bey requiring intervention from officials to separate the players. This early tension set the tone for the flare-up involving Dort and Fears after the final buzzer.
Impact and Potential Repercussions of the Incident
The fines against Dort and Fears highlight the NBA’s efforts to maintain order and discourage on-court altercations that disrupt games and threaten player safety. Both players faced disciplinary action as the league holds participants accountable for conduct that crosses competitive intensity into physical confrontation.
With clear signs of escalating conflicts in future Thunder-Pelicans meetings, coaching staffs and league officials will likely emphasize stronger game management and stricter officiating to prevent repeat incidents. The recent tensions also underscore how emotions can run high in closely contested games, especially when referees lose control during critical moments.
As the Thunder and Pelicans prepare beyond this season, the episode will remain a reminder of the fine line between passion and confrontation within professional basketball.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/bjjPzzTzk6
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 29, 2026
Still holding Fears after the game. pic.twitter.com/AzL7FLwaGS
— Jerry Ramsey (@TVsJerry) January 28, 2026
Still holding Fears after the game. pic.twitter.com/AzL7FLwaGS
— Jerry Ramsey (@TVsJerry) January 28, 2026
Jeremiah Fears’ reaction to the altercation: https://t.co/Pcv52T4P7Y pic.twitter.com/LEGqzhRz1z
— Jordan Davis (@thejordancdavis) January 28, 2026
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
