Denver Nuggets guard Austin Rivers has put his hand up for copping arguably the worst NBA ejection of all time during his side’s 125-118 win over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
With the Nuggets leading 100-98 with 8:41 left in the fourth quarter, Rivers shoved Lance Stephenson, one of the peskier players in the NBA, after he felt Stephenson hit him while guarding him. Both players were issued technical fouls for that incident.
Rivers was then ejected just 26 seconds later after receiving a second technical foul when he faked throwing an elbow at Stephenson while not making contact.
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Despite replays of Rivers’ fake elbow clearly showing no contact, the incident was given a second look by referee Tony Brothers who opted to stick with the original call of a technical foul.
Two technical foul calls in the NBA result in an automatic ejection.
The incident blew up social media, with Rivers and several of the NBA’s big names taking aim at the decision.
Rivers in an Instagram post said: “I have never been thrown out for something so ridiculous.
“I’m cool with Lance doing all his extra stuff. He’s an irritant. Just don’t throw me out for trying to get him off of me. Especially when I didn’t even hit him or really try to.”
While two-time NBA champion and former MVP Kevin Durant on Twitter labelled the decision of a technical foul as “embarrassing”.
https://twitter.com/AustinRivers25/status/1509345022201761811https://twitter.com/KDTrey5/status/1509340189059166211https://twitter.com/TomerAzarly/status/1509334730298183685
Meanwhile, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said the match official told him Rivers’ second technical was a “malicious act”.
Malone confirmed they would speak to the league for an explanation.
https://twitter.com/msinger/status/1509344341407457283
Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic flirted with another triple-double with 37 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists, helping the Denver Nuggets hold off the Indiana Pacers.
The Nuggets led by as many as 31 points in the second quarter before the Pacers stormed back. Indiana led 102-100 with 7:40 left in the fourth quarter before the Nuggets scored seven straight points to regain control.
Jokic made his first nine shots in the first half and finished 15 of 19 from the field for Denver. He fell one assist shy of his 20th triple-double of the season after getting one Monday night at Charlotte. Bones Hyland scored 20 points and Will Barton added 18 for the Nuggets, who shot 62.5 per cent for the game.
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