Kori Ellis
04-15-2007, 10:56 PM
Duncan ejected in loss to Mavs: Spurs forward says ref challenged him to fight, has 'personal vendetta'
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041607.01D.BKNspurs.mavs.gamer.355616b.html
Web Posted: 04/15/2007 10:39 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
DALLAS — So much for Dallas reserve guard J.J. Barea ...
In a game in which the Mavericks and Spurs were expected to empty their benches by the start of the fourth quarter and save the must-see drama for the playoffs, Tim Duncan was the only star to leave the court early, and he didn't go by his choosing.
Duncan was ejected for just the second time in his career after referee Joey Crawford gave him two technical fouls while he sat on the bench late in the third quarter of Dallas' 91-86 victory Sunday afternoon.
The loss ended the Spurs' chances of catching the Phoenix Suns and sends them into a first-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets. If NBA commissioner David Stern has a twisted sense of humor, he'll assign Crawford to work next Sunday's series opener at the AT&T Center.
Sounding almost as amused as frustrated, Duncan accused Crawford of having a "personal vendetta" against him and said the veteran referee asked him whether he wanted to fight.
"Before he gave me the two technical fouls, he made a call and I was shaking my head, and he walks down and stares at me," Duncan said. "He says, 'Do you want to fight? Do you want to fight?' I didn't say anything to him there, either."
Shortly after Duncan went to the bench with 2:40 left in the third quarter, Manu Ginobili was called for a reach-in foul on Mavericks guard Jason Terry. Duncan, who could be fined for his comments, said he and Michael Finley both told referee Leroy Richardson the play should have been a clean steal.
"And Joey," Duncan said, "comes across the court and gives me a technical foul."
After Fabricio Oberto was called for a blocking foul a little more than a minute later, Duncan laughed and briefly put his head in a towel. Crawford gave him another technical, resulting in an automatic ejection.
Robert Horry, who was sitting next to Duncan, said he thought Crawford had initially given him the technical because he also was laughing. Duncan looked on in disbelief as Crawford pointed at him.
Duncan said the only time he talked to Crawford was on an earlier play when he thought Dirk Nowitzki fouled him on a shot attempt.
"Joey knew exactly what he was doing," said Duncan, who had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 27 minutes. "He came into this game with a personal vendetta against me. It had to be. I didn't do anything this entire game.
"I said (six) words to him. The words that I said were: 'I got fouled on a shot.'"
After the ejection, Duncan appeared to mouth, "Piece of (bleep)" at Crawford as he walked off the court. Crawford spoke to a pool reporter before Duncan made his accusations.
"He was complaining the whole time," Crawford said. "And then he went over to the bench and he was over there doing the same stuff behind our back.
"I hit him with one (technical) and he kept going over there, laughing, and I look over there and he's still complaining. So I threw him out."
Asked about Duncan's assertion that he didn't say anything to warrant a technical, Crawford said, "He called me a piece of (bleep)? Is that nothing?"
The Spurs led 74-68 at the time of Duncan's ejection and were still up four with less than four minutes left, but didn't make a shot in the final 6:32.
"I thought we did a great job with Timmy being gone so long," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Popovich wouldn't comment on Duncan's ejection except to say he plans to speak with the NBA.
Duncan's only other ejection came in a Feb. 4, 2002, game against Minnesota when referee Luis Grillo sent him and Kevin Garnett to the locker room after they exchanged words. The league rescinded Duncan's ejection the following day.
Duncan has a reputation as one of the league's biggest complainers, with a handful of opposing coaches and players even admonishing him during games for whining. This season, however, he has tried harder to play through his frustration. He had just seven technicals prior to Sunday.
Crawford is regarded as one of the NBA's top officials but also has a famed temper. In Game 2 of the 2003 Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Dallas, he ejected former Mavericks coach Don Nelson for standing at the scorer's table too long.
Crawford also gave Duncan a technical in the Spurs' March21 loss in Indiana.
"I imagine (Crawford's problems with him) stems from that or whatever," said Duncan, who said Crawford may have been looking for "camera time."
"I don't know what the deal is. I don't have a problem with him. He has a problem with me."
Crawford is routinely assigned to work high-profile playoff games, so Duncan figures he'll see him again.
"He'll officiate games, and he'll do what he does, and he'll make the calls he wants to make," Duncan said. "I have to imagine when it comes down to it, I have to watch what I do.
"I guess I can't laugh anymore. I can't enjoy the game anymore. I'll have to sit there and put my head between my legs."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/basketball/nba/spurs/stories/MYSA041607.01D.BKNspurs.mavs.gamer.355616b.html
Web Posted: 04/15/2007 10:39 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
DALLAS — So much for Dallas reserve guard J.J. Barea ...
In a game in which the Mavericks and Spurs were expected to empty their benches by the start of the fourth quarter and save the must-see drama for the playoffs, Tim Duncan was the only star to leave the court early, and he didn't go by his choosing.
Duncan was ejected for just the second time in his career after referee Joey Crawford gave him two technical fouls while he sat on the bench late in the third quarter of Dallas' 91-86 victory Sunday afternoon.
The loss ended the Spurs' chances of catching the Phoenix Suns and sends them into a first-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets. If NBA commissioner David Stern has a twisted sense of humor, he'll assign Crawford to work next Sunday's series opener at the AT&T Center.
Sounding almost as amused as frustrated, Duncan accused Crawford of having a "personal vendetta" against him and said the veteran referee asked him whether he wanted to fight.
"Before he gave me the two technical fouls, he made a call and I was shaking my head, and he walks down and stares at me," Duncan said. "He says, 'Do you want to fight? Do you want to fight?' I didn't say anything to him there, either."
Shortly after Duncan went to the bench with 2:40 left in the third quarter, Manu Ginobili was called for a reach-in foul on Mavericks guard Jason Terry. Duncan, who could be fined for his comments, said he and Michael Finley both told referee Leroy Richardson the play should have been a clean steal.
"And Joey," Duncan said, "comes across the court and gives me a technical foul."
After Fabricio Oberto was called for a blocking foul a little more than a minute later, Duncan laughed and briefly put his head in a towel. Crawford gave him another technical, resulting in an automatic ejection.
Robert Horry, who was sitting next to Duncan, said he thought Crawford had initially given him the technical because he also was laughing. Duncan looked on in disbelief as Crawford pointed at him.
Duncan said the only time he talked to Crawford was on an earlier play when he thought Dirk Nowitzki fouled him on a shot attempt.
"Joey knew exactly what he was doing," said Duncan, who had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 27 minutes. "He came into this game with a personal vendetta against me. It had to be. I didn't do anything this entire game.
"I said (six) words to him. The words that I said were: 'I got fouled on a shot.'"
After the ejection, Duncan appeared to mouth, "Piece of (bleep)" at Crawford as he walked off the court. Crawford spoke to a pool reporter before Duncan made his accusations.
"He was complaining the whole time," Crawford said. "And then he went over to the bench and he was over there doing the same stuff behind our back.
"I hit him with one (technical) and he kept going over there, laughing, and I look over there and he's still complaining. So I threw him out."
Asked about Duncan's assertion that he didn't say anything to warrant a technical, Crawford said, "He called me a piece of (bleep)? Is that nothing?"
The Spurs led 74-68 at the time of Duncan's ejection and were still up four with less than four minutes left, but didn't make a shot in the final 6:32.
"I thought we did a great job with Timmy being gone so long," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Popovich wouldn't comment on Duncan's ejection except to say he plans to speak with the NBA.
Duncan's only other ejection came in a Feb. 4, 2002, game against Minnesota when referee Luis Grillo sent him and Kevin Garnett to the locker room after they exchanged words. The league rescinded Duncan's ejection the following day.
Duncan has a reputation as one of the league's biggest complainers, with a handful of opposing coaches and players even admonishing him during games for whining. This season, however, he has tried harder to play through his frustration. He had just seven technicals prior to Sunday.
Crawford is regarded as one of the NBA's top officials but also has a famed temper. In Game 2 of the 2003 Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Dallas, he ejected former Mavericks coach Don Nelson for standing at the scorer's table too long.
Crawford also gave Duncan a technical in the Spurs' March21 loss in Indiana.
"I imagine (Crawford's problems with him) stems from that or whatever," said Duncan, who said Crawford may have been looking for "camera time."
"I don't know what the deal is. I don't have a problem with him. He has a problem with me."
Crawford is routinely assigned to work high-profile playoff games, so Duncan figures he'll see him again.
"He'll officiate games, and he'll do what he does, and he'll make the calls he wants to make," Duncan said. "I have to imagine when it comes down to it, I have to watch what I do.
"I guess I can't laugh anymore. I can't enjoy the game anymore. I'll have to sit there and put my head between my legs."