Jarrett Jack ejected from preseason game for flagrant foul on Jonas Jerebko
Brooklyn Nets point guard Jarrett Jack was ejected from Wednesday’s preseason game against the Boston Celtics after committing a flagrant foul-2 on Boston forward Jonas Jerebko.
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The foul took place just past the 10-minute mark of the second quarter, with the visiting Celtics holding a four-point lead at Barclays Center:
After drawing a switch on a high screen-and-roll, Jack coughed the basketball up to Celtics big man Jared Sullinger, who hit the deck, came up with the loose ball and threw a sharp bounce pass to a streaking Jerebko, sending the Swede out in transition. Jack kept his feet after his turnover, but evidently lost his mind in the exchange, racing across the court and deciding not to contest Jerebko’s layup attempt, but rather to just duck his shoulder and try to clean the big man out.
The referees reviewed the play, and it didn’t take a genius to predict the outcome: Jack was slapped with a flagrant-2 for “unnecessary and excessive” conduct and, just like C.J. McCollum of the Portland Trail Blazers was two nights earlier, ejected from the preseason contest. Jack finished with five points, one turnover and two assists in seven minutes of playing time. Jerebko stayed in the game, playing 18 minutes off the Boston bench and finishing with five points, three rebounds and three turnovers in a 109-105 Celtics win.
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While McCollum argued that his takedown of Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward didn’t merit the higher-level flagrant and automatic ejection, the veteran Jack — who got the keys to Lionel Hollins’ offense after the Nets bid a not-so-fond farewell to Deron Williams this summer — acknowledged that he was in the wrong, that he got what he deserved on the play, and that he can only hope the league office doesn’t decide to tack on additional punishment that would prevent him from suiting up for Brooklyn’s Oct. 28 season opener against the Chicago Bulls.
From Tim Bontemps of the New York Post:
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“I hope not,” Jack said, when asked if he was worried about getting hit with a suspension. “But I didn’t mean to do that, actually.” […]
“Man, it was a frustration foul, man,” Jack said. “That was all. I did a little more than I intended to.”
After a brief review, officials Marc Davis, Rodney Mott and Gediminas Petraitis conferred and Jack was assessed the flagrant 2, sending him on an early trip to the showers.
“A little bit heat of the moment, little bit more frustrating than anything,” Jack said. “My intention wasn’t to do that at all, but I did think the ref made the proper call.”
Jerebko, for his part, didn’t come away from the incident with any hard feelings, according to Jay King of MassLive.com:
“I know him,” Boston Celtics forward Jonas Jerebko said Wednesday night after being on the wrong end of a tackle from Brooklyn Nets guard Jarrett Jack. “It’s just a frustration play so there’s no hard feelings. It happens. It hurts a little bit, but I’m good.” […]
Afterward, Jack called Jerebko “my guy” and said he plans to speak to the forward about the incident.
“I just felt, I don’t know, frustration from him,” Jerebko said. “I have no idea. I’m just trying to play basketball.”
That’s not easy to do when dudes straight-up truck you, but hey, shouts to Jonas for getting back on the horse and continuing to grind for minutes in what looks to be an awfully crowded Celtics frontcourt rotation under head coach Brad Stevens.
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
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