Kristaps Porzingis was ejected from Game 1 of the Los Angeles Clippers-Dallas Mavericks first-round playoff series on Monday, which led to plenty of backlash from fans.
Porzingis received a technical foul for getting involved in a skirmish between Luka Doncic and Marcus Morris in the third quarter of the game. Porzingis pushed at Morris to tell him to back away from Doncic. Because it was his second tech of the game, Porzingis triggered an automatic ejection.
Some extracurriculars between Doncic, Porzingis & Morris…
Porzingis has been handed his second technical & has been ejected from tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/HflpSj12sW
— FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) August 18, 2020
The Mavericks big man also was called for a technical foul earlier in the game for protesting a foul call when he thought he got a block.
ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy criticized the ejection for coming after two weak foul calls. Many watching the game agreed.
Porzingis gettin ejected is outrageous. In the playoffs?? Lets get serious. Ref show.
— Chris Vernon (@ChrisVernonShow) August 18, 2020
Refs ejecting Porzingis like this is a scrimmage game or something. Soft
— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) August 18, 2020
And that was an awful technical foul call on Porzingis. https://t.co/yXBhdJREfN
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 18, 2020
Two weak techs on Porzingis. Refs have to use discretion there and avoid kicking him out of an important game
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) August 18, 2020
Unbelievably ridiculous Porzingis was ejected. Ruined a great battle going on right now
— Mike Stauffer (@2Kstauff) August 18, 2020
Porzingis had 14 points in 20 minutes prior to his ejection. This marked a pair of firsts for the Latvian star: it’s his first career ejection and it came in his first career playoff game.
