The NBA has issued a $35,000 fine to Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker for publicly criticizing the officiating crew that worked Game 2 of the first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the league announced on Thursday.
Booker’s comments came after he was called for a technical foul in the third quarter while attempting to save a loose ball. He blamed the call on Thunder guard Alex Caruso, alleging Caruso urged the referee to assess the penalty. “In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James Williams was terrible tonight, through and through,” Booker told reporters. “It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as WWE if they’re not held responsible.”
The league confirmed that a post-game review led to the rescission of teammate Dillon Brooks’ technical foul, but Booker’s stood. After further video evaluation and inquiries, officials said they found no evidence of bias or misconduct by the Game 2 crew.
Suns owner Mat Ishbia defended Booker on social media, stating that while officiating was not the decisive factor in the loss, the standard of refereeing remained “unacceptable.” Ishbia added, “If the referees are going to demand respect from the players—as they should—then the players should demand respect from the referees.”
Game 3 of the Suns-Thunder series is scheduled for Saturday.
Source: Hoops Rumors
