Austin Rivers is tired of NBA officials making the game about themselves rather than the players and basketball itself. That is after Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards found himself getting a tech for a staredown following a massive poster dunk.
Late in the third quarter of Sunday's game against the Golden State Warriors, Edwards posterized Dario Saric and proceeded to celebrate it with a short staredown. The refs were not having it, though, and slapped the Timberwolves guard with a taunting technical foul.
It was definitely a rather ridiculous call. After all, it sends a message that players couldn't even celebrate even for a brief moment. Games can be highly emotional, and it's normal for players to express it with hyped reactions. However, it is now putting a lot of players in trouble, something Anthony Edwards experienced firsthand.
No way they gave Anthony Edwards a tech for this, do referees know we’re not here to watch them lmao
(🎥: @Dubs408 )— ً (@FanMahome) November 13, 2023
Austin Rivers, however, found it outrageous that players are being punished for such reactions that can hardly be called taunting. The guard, who played for the Timberwolves in 2022-23, took it to X (formerly Twitter) to slam the officiating and how “stupid” some calls are. He emphasized that being passionate is different from trying to start a fight with another player.
“Can we stop giving guys techs for stare downs…it's stupid and takes away from the game. Happened again tonight with Ant. Yall want guys to compete and play with an edge. It's all passion nothing personal. Stop that BS,” Rivers wrote.
Giannis Antetokounmpo falls victim to absurd call
Austin Rivers' frustration is understandable, especially since it has been an prevalent issue in the NBA this season. Aside from Anthony Edwards' case, what happened to Giannis Antetokounmpo is also another great example of the questionable taunting techs.
For those who missed it, Antetokounmpo was ejected from their recent game against the Detroit Pistons after doing what Edwards also did: celebrate a poster dunk. It was the Milwaukee Bucks star's second technical of the game, leading him to get thrown out.
It sparked a flurry of angry reactions on social media, especially since what Giannis did is pretty normal in the NBA. Over the years, players have posterized others and stared their rivals down in celebration. When explaining the decision, however, officials didn't even explain what constitutes taunting and how an act can be deemed one.
“After the dunk Giannis turns to his opponent and taunts him and a taunting technical foul was called, an unsportsmanlike. And he was ejected from the game, per rule, because two unsportsmanlike technical fouls, you are ejected from the game,” Crew Chief Rodney Mott said of Antetokounmpo's ejection.
There's no doubt that the NBA might want to take a look at the issue, or better yet provide a more detailed explanation of what is considered taunting and what isn't. After all, as Austin Rivers said, what's happening with the officials is destroying the product they put on the court and the overall integrity of the game.
Such calls can doom a team and spell the difference from winning and losing. With the talent in the league at an all-time high, there is definitely the need to improve all aspects of the game, including officiating to ensure that both teams are being treated fairly.
Hopefully, though, more players and fans take a stand on the issue and spark some changes to make the game better.
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