Suns’ Monty Williams ejected for arguing with ref vs. Timberwolves
Mar 19, 2021, 8:13 PM | Updated: 9:49 pm
Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams was ejected in the second quarter of Friday night’s 113-101 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Monty Williams gets tossed 😅 pic.twitter.com/Xz2Tz1VHXL
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) March 20, 2021
After a few back-and-forth possessions that were more physical in nature than Williams would have liked, the head coach decided to give referee Scott Twardoski an earful.
“I don’t like leaving the team, but when I saw Book get smacked in the face — no call and Mikal (Bridges) gets drilled going to the basket,” Williams said of the ejection via Zoom postgame. “I asked for an explanation on Cameron Payne’s shot with 1.7 on the clock, so that’s not a tactic that I use.
“But tonight was one of those nights where I felt like I had to stand up for our guys and I’ve been on our guys about leaving the officials alone. I think they did a good job, they were trying their best. I wasn’t trying to make a point or anything, but I was a bit upset about that many no-calls.”
Twardoski appeared to say “walk away” to Williams before giving him his first technical foul.
The Suns head coach was walking back toward his bench, but then came back for a second round which ultimately resulted in a second technical and an ejection.
Thursday night’s contest featured Minnesota getting 35 attempts from the charity stripe compared to Phoenix’s 19.
The ejection is the first of Williams’ career at any level as either a coach or player.
Assistant coach Willie Green served as the interim head coach for the remainder of the night.
