The NBA on Thursday fined Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker $35,000 for his postgame criticism of the officials in a Game 2 Oklahoma City Thunder win.
Booker referred to official James Williams by name, questioned the integrity of the sport and challenged media members to pull video comparing calls against the Suns and those against the Thunder. He insinuated that a referee called him for a technical foul after being persuaded by Thunder guard Alex Caruso.
Booker’s technical foul was rescinded on Thursday, despite the fine.
“I heard Caruso tell ’em to call the tech and (the official) ended up doing it,” Booker said Wednesday night.
“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name but James (Williams) was terrible tonight, through and through. Bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as the WWE if they aren’t held responsible.”
The league said in a statement on Thursday: “Following an investigation including multiple interviews and video review, the league found no basis to any claim of bias or misconduct by game officials.”
Suns owner Mat Ishbia backed his star player stepping into fine territory and went even further, saying a referee was “almost mocking” Phoenix players.
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“Let me be clear, we didn’t lose because of officiating, but that doesn’t make last night any less important,” Ishbia wrote on X. “If the referees are going to demand respect from the players – as they should – then the players should demand respect from the referees. When a referee is missing calls and clearly disrespecting the players, almost mocking them, they must be held accountable.
“Nobody who loves this game enjoyed watching that last night. They want to see the players compete at the highest level. The league needs (to) be far more aggressive about this kind of thing. All players and all fans deserve it.”
Booker was questioned postgame specifically because he was called for a technical on a play where he was fouled and threw a ball behind his body as he was falling out of bounds. The Suns said officials didn’t explain why the technical was called.
Further questions at the podium led him to compare the Thunder’s whistle to an offensive foul on him as he tried to turn and shoot over Oklahoma City’s Caruso.
“They said unnatural shooting motion, hit (Alex) Caruso,” Booker said. “But Caruso is moving forward on that, and if that’s an unnatural shooting motion compared to what guys are doing to get fouls nowadays — you can play them side by side. I’ll let you guys be the judge. Pull the clips. Run it back. I’m surprised this is happening on national TV, in playoff games.”
Suns forward Dillon Brooks criticized the officials after the game as well. He was charged with a technical with 8:15 left in the third quarter but that also was rescinded on Thursday.
“[Gilgeous-Alexander is] a little frail, and that’s what the refs are going to call,” Brooks said. “I got to be smarter about it, but this is the playoffs. It’s a man’s game.
“Like, I used to watch this back when Michael Jordan was playing or whoever else, when LeBron [James] was younger. This is physical basketball. I don’t get why all the dropping and the falling and the flopping and the flailing and all this stuff is allowed when we get to the playoffs. Leave that for the [regular] season, for the fans. This is about who’s the better team, who’s a more with-it team. Don’t decide the games on no free throws.”
Officials did not speak on the game or specific calls because they were not triggered by media members to speak with a pool reporter after the game, a standard NBA game practice to lend transparency to their decisions.
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