On Wednesday night in a contest between the New York Knicks and the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum, another controversial call made by an NBA official towards the end of the game has people up in arms. This time, it involved a sequence that took place between Knicks guard Courtney Lee, Grizzlies rookie guard Dillon Brooks, and official Derrick Stafford.
With the Knicks down three, Grizzlies guard Tyreke Evans lost the ball and a jump ball was called after a scramble on the floor between him and Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. After what looked like a jump ball violation by the Grizzlies, which would have given the Knicks the ball, Stafford called for re-jump.
Meanwhile, Lee and Brooks continued to go at it outside of the circle, followed by referee Stafford calling the technical on Lee with 17.8 seconds remaining. Evans then hit the free throw to give Memphis a four-point lead. The Grizzlies went on to defeat the Knicks, 105-99.
In a postgame video of Lee posted to the MSG Networks official website, the Knicks guard talked about the sequence:
“It was before the first jump, I seen where Tyreke was hitting the ball at and they called a violation,’’ Lee said. “So it was a re-jump. I went over to that open spot. The rookie grabbed by arm. I said, ‘Get off me.’ He said some other words. I said, ‘You got the wrong one rookie, you got the wrong one youngin’.’ He said some other stuff like: Who are you? I said, ‘You know who I am.’ Then I got the tech.’’
When asked why Lee was given the technical foul before the jump ball towards the end of the game, crew chief Derrick Stafford gave an explanation.
From the NBA, here is the referee’s explanation of the Courtney Lee technical foul: pic.twitter.com/hrQD736iaM
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) January 18, 2018
Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never hurt you? In the final minute of a crucial three-point game, words can apparently be very hurtful to Mr. Stafford and he won't hesitate to make a call like that.
“If you’re going to get a technical when both are talking to each other and not talking to you, it’s a double tech in that situation,’’ Lee said. “If both of us are talking, it has nothing to do with you. No violent talk. No cuss words were even said. I don’t know what’s going on. It’s different now. I really appreciate [retired] guys like Joey Crawford, Dick [Bavetta]. You appreciate those guys. I’m at a loss for words.’’
This isn't the first time Stafford's name has come up in recent memory with controversial officiating, as he was at the center of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors debacle on Christmas Day, as well as the missed out-of-bounds call on Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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