Mat Ishbia on Game 2 Suns-Thunder officiating: ‘I am 100% behind Devin Booker here’
Devin Booker didn't mince words when calling out the officiating of Game 2 of Suns-Thunder, and Phoenix team owner Mat Ishbia backed him up.
Watch: Reacting to the Phoenix Suns signing Dillon Brooks to a 3-year, $73 million extension | 9 mins
Devin Booker didn’t mince words Wednesday night when calling out the officiating of Game 2 of Suns-Thunder, even going so far as to say “people are going to start viewing this as WWE.” Phoenix team owner Mat Ishbia was quick to back the star guard.
“I am 100% behind Devin Booker here. Last night was not a good look for our league,” Ishbia posted on X.
Ishbia added that the seemingly uneven whistle-blowing did not cost the Suns the game, but said some of the calls were “clearly disrespecting the players, almost mocking them.”
“Nobody who loves this game enjoyed watching that last night,” he continued, echoing Booker’s sentiment that NBA is being plagued by foul-baiting.
The reigning NBA champion Thunder went ahead 2-0 in the first-round playoff series after a 120-107 win. The matchup shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday.
Phoenix has not lost many players to fouls in the series thus far (only Dillon Brooks in Game 2 with 25.3 seconds remaining) and has matched Oklahoma City in total fouls (43 apiece).
Ishbia said the league must hold officials accountable for egregious performances.
“The league needs (to) be far more aggressive about this kind of thing. All players and all fans deserve it,” Ishbia wrote.
Booker went on record specifically criticizing James Williams, one of the game’s officials, for assessing a technical late in the third quarter, among other curious calls.
“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James was terrible tonight, through and through,” Booker told reporters postgame.
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Comments
15 Comments
I think Jordan Ott needs to go postal and get kicked out of game once in a while did he get a T all year ? I think the players will respect him more and play harder . He’s to soft on referees let’s see a little popovich in him !!
S T F U ..Ishbia
Suns were 2 games from an NBA Chip.....then you took over
Now look where we are...
Yeah, blame the refs lol
Glad to see the owner is supportive and in agreement that the officiating is a problem. You would think the officials at this level, a professional level would be better than they are. Unless it’s vindictive and a choice to be bad in certain situations. And playing favoritism or targeting players with questionable calls. An official in this capacity of sports needs to preserve the integrity of sport.. But back to the owner, Matt should be filing a formal complaint with the administration about this and demand an apology for the calls, a rescinding of any technical calls and a plan of attack to correct the bad behavior up to and including punitive damages to the offending officials.
The NBA is on a very slippery slope !!!!