USA Today via Reuters
Oct 11, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts after being called for a technical foul by referee Ed Malloy (14) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
USA Today via Reuters
Oct 11, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts after being called for a technical foul by referee Ed Malloy (14) during the second quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The NBA is home to the best basketball players in the world. They provide the fans with the best games in the world. But sometimes there are some things which happen that just make everyone angry. And that’s what happened today in the game between the Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers.
There was a play in the fourth quarter which shocked everyone. Just before the actual play happened, Austin Rivers and Lance Stephenson got into it and Rivers pushed Lance. This resulted in both of them getting a double technical. Then, about 30 seconds later, one of the most shocking plays of the year happened.
Lance was guarding Rivers, and he faked passing the ball to a teammate. And it looked like he was elbowing Lance, but he did not touch him. Lance, after the fake, sold it to the refs that he was hit by an elbow. Then the official, Tony Brothers, stopped the play and gave Rivers his second technical, which resulted in him being ejected from the game.
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The basketball world was shocked at the call and they could not believe what they were seeing. Lance did a good job selling it, but ejecting a player for something like this was shocking. Even Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant could not believe the call and he called it embarrassing on Twitter. Rivers also tweeted out what he felt after the game and he expressed his disgust at the call.
Never in my life have I been thrown out of Game for something so ridiculous. Seriously…never😂. League gotta look at this one.
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) March 31, 2022
NBA Twitter is in shock at the absurd call as Kevin Durant and others voice concerns to the league
This is embarrassing https://t.co/eGA8epyrSj
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) March 31, 2022
The NBA is the biggest joke of a professional sport in the entire world. It sells because it’s flashy, but the officiating and the things the players are allowed to get away with (practically running the league themselves) is absolute codswallop.
— Dylan Burnite (@dylanburnite) March 31, 2022
wow, crazy how that context changes nothing
— Zuri (@MangramZuri) March 31, 2022
https://twitter.com/ahmadbalad/status/1509394973766172678?s=20&t=HXTHx7Pmuk3Gce8gwRqONA
Pacers bench waving him off like they’re not about to be 25-52 this season 💀
— HL (@HL90___) March 31, 2022
Refs HATE Rivers. He got a foul called on him in last year's playoffs that nearly cost his team the game for this: pic.twitter.com/CowLklvZYC
— High Ceiling FF 🇺🇦 (@HighCeilingFF) March 31, 2022
— Chad (@ChadBlue83) March 31, 2022
Its Tony Brothers he has a personal vendetta against Jokic and the Nuggets, for years now. Last game i went to he was officiating and the crowd biked him for 48 minutes straight. Cant believe hes allowed to be a ref
— CR (@ColoradoBnR970) March 31, 2022
Seriously, refs saw this on the replay monitor and still got it wrong? Ouch. Somebody check some eyes round that mf 🤦🏾♂️
— Evan… (@DraeLegend) March 31, 2022
— Jaime Martínez, Assignment Editor (@JaimeKTMD) March 31, 2022
Even if he connected, that’s not ejection worthy. Offensive foul, perhaps but not even a technical.
— Donnie (@DonnieN42) March 31, 2022
Actually KD,the officiating this whole season has been absolutely unbelievable,I’m scared to see what The Playoffs are going to be https://t.co/5Yn8lbCWHe
— Herbert J. Mabry (@HerbertJMabry1) March 31, 2022
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How has the officiating been this season?
For the most part of the season, the officiating has been on point. They implement the new rules properly and they weren’t letting players get easy foul calls. Then there was huge controversy when the refs weren’t calling obvious fouls, especially on James Harden.
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The officials have also had some brain fade moments this year. For example, in the game between OKC and the Wolves, there was a play when the floor sweepers interrupted a live game. And there was no call or no stoppage of play whatsoever. With the playoffs fast approaching, the league needs to do a better job or they stand to anger fans and players.
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