Ludden: NBA talks to Spurs' Duncan about role in ejection

[Kori Ellis]

NBA talks to Spurs' Duncan about role in ejection

Web Posted: 04/17/2007 12:08 AM CDT

Johnny Ludden
Express-News

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...n.35bc7f4.html

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — NBA officials interviewed Tim Duncan about his ejection in Sunday's loss to Dallas as the league's investigation appeared to focus on the actions of referee Joey Crawford.

Duncan said he spoke with an NBA security representative Monday by phone and told him the same thing he told reporters the previous day when he was ejected by Crawford while sitting on the bench:

Crawford asked him if he wanted to fight before either technical foul was issued; he made only one verbal complaint to Crawford about a call; and he was laughing about a call against Fabricio Oberto when Crawford ejected him.

Duncan also admitted he cursed at Crawford but only after he had been ejected and had started to leave the court. Crawford said Duncan called him a "piece of (expletive)."

"I called him that," Duncan said. "But I wanted to make sure (league officials) knew that wasn't why I was ejected."

Spurs officials said they wouldn't be surprised if Duncan is fined for his comments to reporters. The NBA frowns on players publicly critiquing the referees, particularly when they single them out by name.

Dallas guard Jerry Stackhouse had to pay $30,000 last season when he unleashed a profanity-laced tirade about referee Bavetta after a loss to the Spurs. New Jersey point guard Jason Kidd was fined $20,000 this season after he called an officiating crew "three blind mice."

"I'll pay a fine," Duncan said, "if it's a fine for laughing."

Duncan accused Crawford on Sunday of having a "personal vendetta" against him. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and some of the players also said they heard Crawford shout, "Do you want to fight?" when Duncan was speaking with Popovich near the team's bench.

Crawford also could be heard telling Popovich he thought Duncan was mocking the officials by laughing. When Popovich told Crawford that sounded like a personal complaint, Crawford gestured to the other two members of the officiating crew and said, "It is. It's personal to all three of us."

NBA commissioner David Stern has tried to reduce the amount of on-court complaining by players this season by instructing officials to issue technical fouls when warranted. But he also doesn't like having the referees upstage the players, which is one reason he is said to be taking a close look at Crawford's actions.

Crawford has been an NBA referee for more than 30 seasons, and this isn't the first time he has drawn the ire of league officials. After Crawford hit Dallas with four technical fouls, including the ejection of then-coach Don Nelson, in the first quarter of Game 2 of the 2003 Western Conference finals against the Spurs, Stern summoned him to New York for a meeting.

Officials with knowledge of the meeting said Stern was incensed about Crawford's quick trigger and described the commissioner's rant against the veteran referee as "an all-timer." The NBA usually doesn't announce any reprimands of its referees, and league officials wouldn't comment on the possibility of Crawford being suspended.

Crawford once quickly ejected Popovich during a game in Sacramento, then later apologized to the team, saying he had erred.

Duncan has had issues with another veteran referee, Jack Nies, after he was suspended one game three seasons ago for pushing Nies out of the way after a jump ball. But Duncan said he doesn't know when his trouble began with Crawford, who gave him a technical April 1 in Indiana.

Crawford routinely officiates high-profile playoff games, and Spurs officials have privately wondered how he will act if assigned to work one of their games this postseason.

"I don't worry about something like that lingering with Timmy at all because he doesn't have a vengeful bone in his body," Popovich said. "I think it will just be gone from his perspective."

[Kori Ellis]

Buck Harvey: Crazy Joey? Battling him more insane

Web Posted: 04/17/2007 12:07 AM CDT


San Antonio Express-News

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/b...s.35bc8b7.html

Joey Crawford and Tim Duncan have a history, all right.

Crawford worked Game 6 against the Lakers in 2003, when Duncan had one of the finest games of his career.

Crawford and the Mavericks are tight, too. He was the lead ref when Josh Howard called his infamous time-out in Miami; Crawford also had something to do with Dwyane Wade shooting 25 free throws that night.

That's Crawford, a ref who has been on all sides with his sense of frontier justice. He's not always right, and Sunday he was wrong. But Crawford is still among the best, and one of Duncan's mistakes is not realizing that.

Another mistake?

Thinking it's possible to beat someone such as Crawford by complaining.

The NBA has tried to rein in the rebel refs of the old days, and that's why Crawford may be suspended or fined. Still, Crawford was also following David Stern's edict this season. Stern wanted less guff on the court, and Crawford can argue he was simply trying to establish just that.

Stern might have little patience with Crawford because he's gone through this before. Crawford arrived in San Antonio after a foul-plagued opener in the 2003 Western Conference finals, and he swaggered in looking to install order.

He called four technicals in the first quarter, and among them was an early one against Don Nelson. Nelson stood at midcourt, with arms folded, and he refused to budge after Crawford told Nelson to get back on the bench. Crawford then ejected Nelson, and the Dallas side cried afterward about Crazy Joey's quick temper.

The opinion in this space the next day dealt with a reputation that Nelson knew too well: "When Joey says shut up, shut up."

Stern later dressed down Crawford as officials rarely are, and Stern may go further after this incident. But that doesn't change the analogy. Just as Nelson had asked for trouble, so did Duncan.

Game 3 in Dallas last year likely had something to do with it. With about a minute left then, with the Spurs ahead by a point, Dirk Nowitzki drove. Duncan appeared to be doing his best to back up and get out of Nowitzki's way. Duncan had five fouls at the time.

Duncan didn't move fast enough, and Nowitzki's right foot landed on Duncan's right foot. Crawford went to the scorer's table, signaling the foul and the end of the evening for No. 21, with Duncan walking behind in disbelief. Perhaps no one call meant more in that series.

It also underlined a swing in respect for the two stars of these two teams. Nowitzki would attempt more free throws (24) and make more (21) in that game than any in Dallas playoff history.

Maybe that's when Crawford began to see Duncan as a chronic complainer. Maybe Crawford looks for any sign of that now, and maybe that's how Duncan got his first technical Sunday.

Whatever Duncan said or didn't say next, cameras caught an oddly animated Duncan clapping twice after another whistle and laughing wildly. Crawford should have looked the other way.

But Duncan didn't get that second technical because he enjoys a good chuckle. He was mocking Crawford, and Steve Javie threw out Nick Van Exel last year in the Dallas series for less. As Crawford told Gregg Popovich later, Duncan "knew exactly what he was doing."

Duncan would later say Crawford asked him if he wanted to "fight," but this middle-aged man didn't want to trade punches with a 6-foot-11 power forward. Crawford was asking, as refs of an earlier era did: You want to mess with me?

Duncan messed with Crawford the way fools do with a cop. The basketball equivalent of cuffs followed.

Crawford might have done the Spurs a favor. He made sure their best player didn't get hurt in a mostly meaningless game.

And Crawford did something else. He reminded Duncan what Popovich has been telling him over the years and what Duncan will need to focus on starting this weekend.

Refs react favorably because of how you play — not because of how much you complain.

[BeerIsGood!]

TD and the rest of the Spurs do need to quit complaining and just play ball, but at the same time the officials need to be held to a higher performance standard. They are horrible in the NBA, and the NBA undoubtedly has the worst officials of any professional sport. If they would do their job correctly instead of being attention s, the games would run a lot more smoothly.

[ponky]

interesting articles, i didn't know about the whole stern/crawford meeting back in 2003, i was pissed about the nelson ejection but i thought it was also incredibly funny. anyway, i hope crawford is told to chill out for the playoffs, it's not about him and it will be interesting to see what, if any, action is taken regarding his status for the playoffs. someone mentioned a 1995 drexler/ref incident where drexler was given two techs and the ref was suspended for the rest of the playoffs so i guess there is hope that he may be suspended. of course, he may try to use the rulebook to defend his actions because it's so vague ("overt actions indicating resentment to a call" can be given a tech)...i'll hope for the former

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

interesting articles, i didn't know about the whole stern/crawford meeting back in 2003, i was pissed about the nelson ejection but i thought it was also incredibly funny. anyway, i hope crawford is told to chill out for the playoffs, it's not about him and it will be interesting to see what, if any, action is taken regarding his status for the playoffs. someone mentioned a 1995 drexler/ref incident where drexler was given two techs and the ref was suspended for the rest of the playoffs so i guess there is hope that he may be suspended. of course, he may try to use the rulebook to defend his actions because it's so vague ("overt actions indicating resentment to a call" can be given a tech)...i'll hope for the former

Actually, the ref in the Drexler hubbub (O'Donnell, IIRC) was subsequently fired (or forced to resign).

[ponky]

Actually, the ref in the Drexler hubbub (O'Donnell, IIRC) was subsequently fired (or forced to resign).

tell me more...was it because of this one incident? i don't even remember this happening and drexler is one of my all-time favorite players, probably my favorite when he played with the blazers

[SPARKY]

TD and the rest of the Spurs do need to quit complaining and just play ball, but at the same time the officials need to be held to a higher performance standard. They are horrible in the NBA, and the NBA undoubtedly has the worst officials of any professional sport. If they would do their job correctly instead of being attention s, the games would run a lot more smoothly.

Every ing team in the league complains about calls, especially among the top tier in the West. I think TD is hit a bit more about it since he's stone faced otherwise. Well, except when he's laughing at Joey.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

props to buck harvey for calling TD on his blatant complaining. I really do think TD is easily one of the three biggest whiners in the league. He even whines when he GETS the call. Sometimes he's whining so much, he forgets to get back on the defensive end. In a perfect world, Duncan will stfu and play like he used to back in the day when he rarely said anything, and Crawford will be suspended from the entire playoffs.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Every ing team in the league complains about calls, especially among the top tier in the West. I think TD is hit a bit more about it since he's stone faced otherwise. Well, except when he's laughing at Joey.

TD complains a of a lot more than anyone in the top tier of western teams.

To his credit, he has chilled out a bit this year, but he still nags a lot.

[SPARKY]

Nah, TD's antics are more memorable because otherwise he usually doesn't say .

[milkyway21]

Game 3 in Dallas last year likely had something to do with it. With about a minute left then, with the Spurs ahead by a point, Dirk Nowitzki drove. Duncan appeared to be doing his best to back up and get out of Nowitzki's way. Duncan had five fouls at the time.

Duncan didn't move fast enough, and Nowitzki's right foot landed on Duncan's right foot. Crawford went to the scorer's table, signaling the foul and the end of the evening for No. 21, with Duncan walking behind in disbelief. Perhaps no one call meant more in that series.

It also underlined a swing in respect for the two stars of these two teams. Nowitzki would attempt more free throws (24) and make more (21) in that game than any in Dallas playoff history.

and the rest is history ..........

[Amuseddaysleeper]

and the rest is history ..........

yeah but there were also games where TD shot more ft's than the entire DAL team combined I believe. But yes, the officiating in games 3 and 4 were beyond brutal.

[ponky]

props to buck harvey for calling TD on his blatant complaining. I really do think TD is easily one of the three biggest whiners in the league. He even whines when he GETS the call. Sometimes he's whining so much, he forgets to get back on the defensive end. In a perfect world, Duncan will stfu and play like he used to back in the day when he rarely said anything, and Crawford will be suspended from the entire playoffs.

first off dirk complains too, everyone does...that said, i've seen duncan start to complain and head towards the ref before realizing that he actually did get the call, it always cracks me up...but yeah, he's been a lot better this year, i think a lot of guys have after those first few weeks when refs were dishing out techs like free guv'ment cheese

[Amuseddaysleeper]

first off dirk complains too, everyone does...that said, i've seen duncan start to complain and head towards the ref before realizing that he actually did get the call, it always cracks me up...but yeah, he's been a lot better this year, i think a lot of guys have after those first few weeks when refs were dishing out techs like free guv'ment cheese

Yeah, but maybe it's b/c I watch more Spurs games than any other team coupled with the fact that back in the day TD used to complain so little that when he DID say something, you had to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But yeah, a ajority of players are improving in that regard

[J.T.]

The phantom fouls that sent Tim and Manu to the bench in GMs 3 and 4 respectively were the most bull of all. GM 2 was a doozy too, I'm surprised Javie didn't T up the crowd for chanting "Javie Sucks". Joey would've.

[jaespur21]

but in Tims defense ive DVR many calls in slo mo and he barely and sometimes doesnt even commit a foul. and then other calls where he is obviously hit so if your gonna call that on 1 end of the floor its jacked up that its not called both ways... i got mucho DVR proof

[whottt]

Again...I'm not so sure I want Crawford banned from reffing Spurs games...

Still better than Bavetta.

[Tek_XX]

I have no problem with Crawford officiating a Spurs game. It's his professional career if he wants to pull any .

[Obstructed_View]

I have a feeling that the string of bizzarre calls will be looked at in addition to the ejection and everyone from that game will be put on double secret probation for the playoffs, if they are allowed to do games at all.

[slayermin]

Maybe Joey did TD a favor, as Buck Harvey suggests in his article. I don't think there is anything wrong with working the refs. But maybe he should just tone it down for the playoffs.

I hope all this blows over because Joey Crawford is my favorite ref. Imo, he has been good to San Antonio in the past. He's a fan of the game and maybe he was just trying to tell TD to stop being a baby like others have suggested.

[SRJ]

Re: Duncan complaining

The reason Tim has complained more in recent seasons is simple - his status has changed.

When Tim arrived in San Antonio, he was the low man on a very tall totem pole in terms of NBA experience. David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson, Chuck Person, Will Perdue, Mario Elie, Steve Kerr, and Jerome Kersey were longtime NBA vets playing with Tim in 1998 and 1999. I assumed then that Tim's silence during games was in part due to the fact that he came to such a veteran team. David was a very vocal player toward officials, as was Mario Elie, and needless to say so was Avery - you could hear that squeaky bellow from the top of the Tower of Americas during games.

It seems to me that Tim's voice has grown as those vets have disappeared and as Tim became the senior player on the team (tenure, not age). And I don't have a problem with him or any players making their case - maybe the official is missing something, they need to know. Don't be a jackass about it, but say your piece.

[milkyway21]

what a way to start the playoff, so many distractions, and against Denver, hottest team(based on W streaks,),again .

Crawford once quickly ejected Popovich during a game in Sacramento, then later apologized to the team, saying that he had erred.

what will you do if the same thing happens in the playoffs? and your favorite team lost in that game?




I'm wondering what Duncan's thinking right now. I guess he'll just save his money and keep his mouth shut because it's what the fans want and he doesn't want to attract media attention again. And he hates interviews

[slayermin]

Don't be a jackass about it, but say your piece.

Exactly. But I don't think TD has been a jackass about it at all or he would get more technicals. Manu and TP rarely draws T's either so it's a farce to me that certain individuals want to label the Spurs as "whiners." If anything, they get screwed out of calls. TD spends most of his time in the paint. TP does the same, at least on the offense end. And Manu is always attacking the basket. They are always being hacked or kicked.

Our team is blue collar as it gets. They earn everything. Man, I wish the playoffs would get here already.

[carina_gino20]

buck harvey is doing exactly what joey did--interpreting Tim's actions and turning things around to downplay Crawford's stupid call.

[exstatic]

Yes, Tim complains. Doesn't sound like he did on Sunday, though, if you believe his account. Six words, and none of them led to either T. The fact remains that if Rasheed Wallace were to suddenly begin act exactly like Tim does, he'd never get another T in his career. Tim does not confront officials in a disrespectful manner on the court, which is what the league was mostly trying to stop.

I think Joey Crawford is in real trouble. His comments prove that he was out to show up Tim and prove some stupid point relevant only in Joey Crawford's mind. Pop was smart to point out to him that it was getting personal. Joey only dug further by admitting that it was.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and some of the players also said they heard Crawford shout, "Do you want to fight?" when Duncan was speaking with Popovich near the team's bench.

Crawford also could be heard telling Popovich he thought Duncan was mocking the officials by laughing. When Popovich told Crawford that sounded like a personal complaint, Crawford gestured to the other two members of the officiating crew and said, "It is. It's personal to all three of us."

In the world of officials, he's Rasheed Wallace, totally out of ing control.