Oklahoma City Thunder forward Lu Dort is facing accusations of dirty play after a collision with Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker.
Booker was hobbled during the third quarter of Saturday’s Western Conference first round series between the Suns and Thunder. Booker was trying to execute a backdoor cut when he tripped and fell, grabbing his ankle.
Replays showed that Booker tripped over Dort’s right foot, an act that some fans thought was intentional and dirty.
Lu Dort trips Devin Booker who grabs his ankle in pain before hobbling to the bench… pic.twitter.com/WOROwS6doq
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) April 25, 2026
Booker had to briefly retreat to the locker room for treatment, but was able to check back in later in the quarter.
No foul was called on the play, which only made fans angrier. Some noted that Dort seemingly raised his arm after the play, as if expecting to be whistled for a foul.
Lu Dort tried to trip Book. Raised his hand to admit he fouled him. And they still let it go.
— Tony Clements (@TonyCMKE) April 25, 2026
Fairly or not, Dort has garnered a reputation for this sort of thing. The Denver Nuggets were infuriated late in the regular season when the Thunder forward seemingly pulled a similar move on Nikola Jokic. He was also accused of trying to take out Victor Wembanyama last December.
The Thunder already went into Saturday’s game with a 2-0 lead in the series, so the Suns were in something of a do-or-die situation. If Booker is at all hobbled by this, Suns fans are definitely going to zero in on Dort as an antagonist, just as several other fanbases have.
