© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND — After Kevin Durant was ejected for a league-leading fifth time this season, he said he could talk to officials a little better.
NBA crew chief Bill Kennedy agrees.
Late in the second quarter of Golden State’s 116-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night, Durant shouted at an official after a foul wasn’t called on his layup attempt. He was slapped with two technicals in quick succession, leading to his ejection.
All five of Durant’s ejections this seasons stem from his frustration with poor officiating. Durant thought he was fouled earlier in the first quarter, but it wasn’t called. Once the situation resurfaced in the second quarter, Durant’s emotions boiled over.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr agreed with his small forward, saying the officials missed three different calls, including the one Durant verbally protested.
There’s always two sides to a story, however. Kennedy released a statement on Durant’s ejection after Thursday’s game.
“Mr. Durant was ejected due to the fact that (he had) two technical fouls,” Kennedy said. “The first technical foul was issued for vulgarity. After the first technical foul was issued, the official tried to walk away, started to walk away, and the vulgarity escalated. Then, he was assessed a second technical foul for the escalation of the vulgarity, resulting in an ejection.”
