Chris Paul’s Temper Tantrum and Technical Fouls

How did Chris Paul not get a technical last night? With only a few minutes to go in Game 6 of the Memphis-Clippers series Paul was called for a pretty non-controversial foul on a Memphis fast break. After the foul Paul had what could only be called a temper tantrum and proceeded to leap right at a ref screaming at him. Somehow this wasn’t interpreted as a technical foul.

This is starting to get out of hand. What is and what isn’t a technical foul in the NBA? Amare Stoudemire had to sit out a game last year because he had so many technical fouls for clapping his hands in frustration after bad plays. Carmelo Anthony got a technical foul for throwing a bounce pass too hard to an official in Game 1 of the Heat-Knicks series. Rajon Rondo got ejected from the last seconds of Game 1 of the Celtics-Hawks series for reacting to an atrocious game changing call, then tripping into a ref. Rondo’s actions were seen as so egregious that he was even suspended for the next game of the series.[1]

These are somehow worse than completely losing it and going right after a ref? I actually don’t mind Paul not getting a technical in that situation. I hate when officiating helps decide the outcome of a game, especially when it’s an emotional player at the end of a hard fought game. The only reason it’s absurd he didn’t get a technical is because technicals are consistently called for way less. If the NBA’s new “Respect the Game” rules mean it’s a technical when a player claps his hands then Chris Paul throwing a temper tantrum has to be called as well.

A big problem with officiating in the NBA is players are clearly officiated differently. It’s nothing new. It’s been this way ever since I can remember watching. It used to be frustrating watching different rules apply to Jordan compared the rest of the league and it’s just as frustrating to watch different rules apply to Lebron, Wade, Rose, Pierce, Garnett, Duncan, Parker, Ginobli, or any other player that has “earned” the respect of the officials. Outside of flopping, this is probably the worst part of watching the NBA.

It’s just frustrating to watch Rondo get ejected and suspended from a game for having less of a reaction than Chris Paul had last night. That’s the NBA though. End Rant.

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[1] I found this to be completely absurd. I thought Rondo had every right in the world to be upset about that call, which essentially ended the game incorrectly. He clearly tripped into the official and did not mean to “bump him,” yet the NBA still suspended him for a game? Shouldn’t the official also be punished for ruining the end of the game? Why does the blame always have to be on the players?