The Denver Nuggets took one step closer to locking up a playoff spot with a 125-118 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Rather than commending MVP candidate Nikola Jokic for going 15-of-19 from the floor with 37 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists, everyone was befuddled by Austin Rivers’ baffling ejection.
Referee Tony Brothers gave Rivers a technical foul and tossed him during the fourth quarter for throwing a fake elbow that didn’t even make contact with Lance Stephenson.
Austin Rivers got a tech and was ejected for faking an elbow at Lance Stephenson. pic.twitter.com/oLlV2jAm4W
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) March 31, 2022
After the game, Rivers criticized the officials on Twitter and implored the NBA to review the play.
Never in my life have I been thrown out of Game for something so ridiculous. Seriously…never😂. League gotta look at this one.
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) March 31, 2022
“Never in my life have I been thrown out of Game for something so ridiculous,” Rivers wrote. “Seriously…never. League gotta look at this one.”
He also addressed the incident on Instagram, saying he was just “trying to get [Stephenson] off of me.”
“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.”
Austin Rivers responded to Tony Brothers ejecting him for the elbow fake to Lance Stephenson on IG. https://t.co/TSEXM3aJSK pic.twitter.com/9L5eSGLhuf
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 31, 2022
Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant called the ejection “embarrassing.”
This is embarrassing https://t.co/eGA8epyrSj
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) March 31, 2022
According to Mike Singer of the Denver Post, Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said after the game that Brothers told him Rivers committed a “malicious act.” Even worse, the referee reviewed the play and still ejected Rivers for swinging at air.
This is unbelievable. The play was reviewed. And Rivers was ejected. https://t.co/tpxMjYmCFW
— Mike Singer (@msinger) March 31, 2022
Michael Malone said the explanation he got from Tony Brothers on Austin Rivers’ ejection was that it was a “malicious act.”
Malone told him he didn’t make any contact with him.
Said they’re going to talk to the league office about the ejection.
— Mike Singer (@msinger) March 31, 2022
People of viewers expressed dismay over the head-scratching call, and Brothers received a heavy share of criticism.
Austin Rivers just got ejected for THIS?? He didn’t even make contact with him?? pic.twitter.com/2TfGarmxwf
— Mo Mooncey (@TheHoopGenius) March 31, 2022
Tony Brothers just threw Austin Rivers out of an NBA game for a ball fake
— Colin Deaver (@ColinDeaverTV) March 31, 2022
By far the worst call I have ever seen https://t.co/lS8a7gtq91
— J (@hornydenamf) March 31, 2022
Giving Tony Brothers playoff assignments is a malicious act.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 31, 2022
This is crazy. The fact that you can review these things now and Tony thought it was an ejection after review blows my mind. Eject Lance for asking for a review https://t.co/PF8RE7VtdP
— Second Take Sports (@2nd_take_sports) March 31, 2022
I think the NBA should keep the fine for this, but Lance Stephenson and Tony Brothers should have to pay it. https://t.co/lUNFVkyBmR
— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) March 31, 2022
Nuggets games don’t start until Tony Brothers ejects a player.
Austin Rivers is out of there for a play where ZERO contact was made.
— Duvalier Johnson (@DuvalierJohnson) March 31, 2022
It’s hard to understand what Brothers saw that led to him ejecting Rivers, who exited the game with three points in 19 minutes. While it didn’t affect the game’s outcome, Rivers will face a fine unless the league rescinds the call.
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