Mavs' Carlisle: Ref baited D-Will into technical
DALLAS — Coach Rick Carlisle accused referee David Jones of twice entering the Dallas Mavericks‘ huddle during a timeout to bait point guard Deron Williams into a technical foul.
“For the first time in a 33-year NBA career, I saw a referee make a point of going out of his way and walking into our huddle and baiting one of our guys into getting a technical,” Carlisle said after Wednesday’s 102-96 loss to the Detroit Pistons, which extended the Mavs’ losing streak to a season-worst four games. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my years in this league. I don’t see how that can ever be excusable.”
Williams was whistled for the technical foul with 7:33 remaining in the third quarter. Detroit’s Reggie Jackson missed the free throw, so the technical did not impact the outcome of the game, but Carlisle brought it up without prompting during his postgame news conference.
Jones, who is in his 26th season as an NBA official, declined to speak to a pool reporter due to confusion with the process of making the request.
Williams opted not to discuss the details of the confrontation that led to his technical, which was his first of the season.
“I made a decision about 10 years [ago] in my career that I wasn’t going to comment about officials,” Williams said. “Save my money. I already got a technical. That’s money right there, so I’m not going to comment any further and risk any more money.”
Carlisle declined to reveal the specifics of the conversation between Jones and Williams but reiterated that Jones “clearly” intended to bait Williams into a technical.
“For the first time in a 33-year NBA career, I saw a referee make a point of going out of his way and walking into our huddle and baiting one of our guys into getting a technical. I’ve never seen anything like that in my years in this league. I don’t see how that can ever be excusable.”
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle
“Went out of his way,” Carlisle said. “Could have walked away, made a point out of going back. I said, ‘Hey, I got it. I got it. Let it go.’ He goes, ‘No,’ and he walked back essentially into our huddle, and he baited Deron Williams into getting a technical.
“I don’t think that that’s right. I don’t think that that’s right. An official’s job is to defuse the situation, not to blow it up. The referee that we’re talking about is an experienced guy, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”
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