NBA talks to Spurs’ Duncan about role in ejection
Web Posted: 04/16/2007 10:46 PM CDT
Johnny Ludden
Express-News
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — NBA officials interviewed Tim Duncan about his ejection in Sunday’s loss to Dallas as the league’s investigation appeared to focus on the actions of referee Joey Crawford.
Duncan said he spoke with an NBA security representative Monday by phone and told him the same thing he told reporters the previous day when he was ejected by Crawford while sitting on the bench:
Crawford asked him if he wanted to fight before either technical foul was issued; he made only one verbal complaint to Crawford about a call; and he was laughing about a call againstFabricio Oberto when Crawford ejected him.
Duncan also admitted he cursed Crawford but only after he had been ejected and had started to leave the court. Crawford said Duncan called him a “piece of (expletive).”
“I called him that,” Duncan said. “But I wanted to make sure (league officials) knew that wasn’t why I was ejected.”
Spurs officials said they wouldn’t be surprised if Duncan is fined for his comments to reporters. The NBA frowns on players publicly critiquing the referees, particularly when they single them out by name.
Dallas guard Jerry Stackhouse had to pay $30,000 last season when he unleashed a profanity-laced tirade about referee Dick Bavetta after a loss to the Spurs. New Jersey point guard Jason Kidd was fined $20,000 this season after he called an officiating crew “three blind mice.”
“I’ll pay a fine,” Duncan said, “if it’s a fine for laughing.”
Duncan accused Crawford on Sunday of having a “personal vendetta” against him. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and some of the players also said they heard Crawford shout, “Do you want to fight?” when Duncan was speaking with Popovich near the team’s bench.
Crawford also could be heard telling Popovich he thought Duncan was mocking the officials by laughing. When Popovich told Crawford that sounded like a personal complaint, Crawford gestured to the other two members of the officiating crew and said, “It is. It’s personal to all three of us.”
NBA commissioner David Stern has tried to reduce the amount of on-court complaining by players this season by instructing officials to issue technical fouls when warranted. But he also doesn’t like having the referees upstage the players, which is one reason he is said to be taking a close look at Crawford’s actions.
Crawford has been an NBA referee for more than 30 seasons, and this isn’t the first time he has drawn the ire of league officials. After Crawford hit Dallas with four technical fouls, including the ejection of then-coach Don Nelson, in the first quarter of Game 2 of the 2003 Western Conference finals against the Spurs, Stern summoned him to New York for a meeting.
Officials with knowledge of the meeting said Stern was incensed about Crawford’s quick trigger and described the commissioner’s rant against the veteran referee as “an all-timer.” The NBA usually doesn’t announce any reprimands of its referees, and league officials wouldn’t comment on the possibility of Crawford being suspended.
Crawford once quickly ejected Popovich during a game in Sacramento, then later apologized to the team, saying he had erred.
Duncan has had issues with another veteran referee, Jack Nies, after he was suspended one game three seasons ago for pushing Nies out of the way after a jump ball. But Duncan said he doesn’t know when his trouble began with Crawford, who gave him a technical April 1 in Indiana.
Crawford routinely officiates high-profile playoff games, and Spurs officials have privately wondered how he will act if assigned to work one of their games this postseason.
“I don’t worry about something like that lingering with Timmy at all because he doesn’t have a vengeful bone in his body,” Popovich said. “I think it will just be gone from his perspective.”