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PHOENIX SUNS

Devin Booker ejected after shoving Enes Kanter, Kanter tweets response

In a game that had extra interest because of Devin Booker starting at point guard, it soon became about Booker's two technical fouls and one flagrant.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and Greg Monroe get into a shoving match with New York Knicks c...

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and Greg Monroe get into a shoving match with New York Knicks center Enes Kanter (00) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, in Phoenix. The Knicks defeated the Suns 107-85. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Friday night’s game against the New York Knicks looked to be all about the Phoenix Suns trying Devin Booker out as a starting point guard.

Instead, it turned into a physical game the officials tried to get control of in a hurry.

Booker was involved in those key moments of escalation in the third quarter. He picked up his first technical foul with 9:44 remaining in the quarter after Jarrett Jack drew a foul from Booker that he disagreed with.

Less than a minute later in game time, Booker turned the ball over and then chased down Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. in transition.

Booker slapped at Hardaway’s arm with his right hand, and with the other, he appeared to attempt to grab Hardaway to stop his momentum, making Hardaway’s landing messy.

After a review, it was ruled a Flagrant 1 on Booker.

Later in the quarter, Booker drove at Knicks big man Enes Kanter and Kanter blocked his shot out of bounds.

Kanter wasn’t shy about invading Booker’s space following the play, so Booker shoved him out of the way.

With the way the game had escalated, that was enough for double technical fouls after a review and Booker was ejected.

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It wouldn’t end there, though, as Kanter made sure Booker knew who came out on top in the Suns’ 107-85 defeat.

Suns forward Jared Dudley tweeted a response and that turned into a back-and-forth between the two.

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At the time of the media’s arrival postgame, Booker was no longer in the locker room.

Kellan Olson Suns reporter and co-host of Arizona Sports at Night

Kellan Olson is ArizonaSports.com's beat writer for the Phoenix Suns and a co-host of the Empire of the Suns podcast, as well as the intermittent night show Arizona Sports at Night. You'll also catch him covering other teams and frequently filling in… Read more

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