The atmosphere was growing tense in Phoenix. The Minnesota Timberwolves and the Phoenix Suns engaged in another memorable battle. And as the game came close, everyone felt the anxiety. That includes Chris Finch, the Wolves coach who was ejected in the third quarter. And well, Bradley Beal’s look was priceless.

Finch is often animated down on the sidelines. It’s been especially frequent this season because the Wolves struggled to stitch wins together. However, in tonight’s incident, the veteran coach looked to be calmly arguing with the officials. But after burning the officials’ patience threshold, Finch heard the dreading whistle as he stood right beside Beal. That’s when the emotions poured out.

Chris Finch charged at the official, incensed by his ejection. If not for Anthony Edwards’ intervention, the Wolves coach risked a harsher punishment than one that might be impending. Amidst the dramatic ejection, Bradley Beal seemed confused. In contemplating what happened, the three-time All-Star stayed in position to receive the ball for the inbounds play.

Clearly he was baffled. And he wasn’t alone.

NBA fans react to another soft ejection

Over the past few seasons, the NBA community has expressed their disdain for the state of officiating. The line for getting technicals keeps getting slimmer. And tonight, from the broadcast it didn’t seem as if Chris Finch’s conduct was overbearing nor were his actions deemed worthy of a technical foul by the fans. “What’d he even do????” one fan wrote about the incident. It’s been the story of the league for the majority part of this season. Even a slight argument can land players and coaches in hot waters. However, in Finch’s case, it could have been something he said to the referee that triggered the consequences.

Even with that considered, the NBA community couldn’t fathom the call. Many fans spoke in support of Finch. Additionally, some even argued that calls as such could be a catalyst behind one of Adam Silver’s monumental struggles this season. One fan sarcastically commented “Why are NBA ratings down”??. 

In terms of the NBA’s ratings, the commissioner remains positive about the improvement arc. He alluded to the drop in viewership to the decline of traditional television, a fix that the league will witness next season when it moves to streaming. But aside from injuries to star players, such calls can also deter fans from watching the sport as it takes away from the competitive spirit of the game.

Hence why a few fans want Silver to hold the referees accountable for such scenarios. “Refs need to be held accountable for bu*****t ejection and technicals, like nba needs to refs or something” a fan suggested.

Currently. there aren’t any measures that require the officials to justify their decision. And in hindsight, they shouldn’t have to. But with the rapid rise in the number of such technicals each season, maybe a post-game report of sorts could provide details behind such decisions, giving clarity to the fans.

Still, it doesn’t guarantee it would change their minds. Just like Bradley Beal, who looked dumbfounded by the sequence, even fans admitted to feeling just like him. “Beal’s reaction is Everything. and his face is like “what is happening? Real entertainment” a fan commented over the Suns guard’s reaction to the incident.

Luckily for Finch, though, the uncharacteristic ejection motivated Anthony Edwards and the Wolves to seek revenge. After being down at the time, they turned the quarter around with a seismic run. After a 14-6 stretch to tie the game, the Timberwolves’ defensive tenacity paved the way for a lead. And they made sure to hang on to it to defeat the Suns on their home soil.