The Phoenix Suns are down 0-2 in their first round Western Conference playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder after Wednesday night’s loss. After the game, Suns star Devin Booker made it clear how he feels about the whistle the Thunder get from referees.
“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight through and through,” Booker said after the loss, according to ESPN. “It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as a WWE if they’re not held responsible.
“It just feels disrespectful. I know I haven’t won a championship in this league, but I have been in it for 11 years now. So to get to this point to be treated like that, for me to even be saying something out loud, it’s bad.”
Suns forward Dillon Brooks took it step further, taking umbridge with the foul calls awarded to Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
“[Gilgeous-Alexander is] a little frail, and that’s what the refs are going to call,” said Brooks, fouled out late in the game. “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 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.”
Booker knows that a fine is likely in his future after his public criticisms, but feels things have gotten to the point where he needs to speak out.
“This is my first time in 11 years, but it’s needed,” Booker said. “Whatever I get fined for it, everybody can pull the clips and see where the frustration is from.”
It’ll be interesting if the complaints have any impact on the way officials litigate the action on the floor.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.