Courtesy of Fan Recap
- NBA referee Bill Kennedy responds to the ejection of Blazers coach Chauncey Billups during Tuesday’s game against the Thunder.
- Billups received two technical fouls after a sequence of events involving a missed timeout call and a double dribble violation by Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon.
- Kennedy clarified that the first technical foul was for contact with the official, and the second was for aggressively pursuing the referee after the initial foul. Kennedy also explained the referee’s focus on the double team made it difficult to hear or see a coach requesting a timeout.
NBA Referee Crew Chief Bill Kennedy has responded to inquiries after an incident involving the ejection of Portland Trail Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups during Tuesday’s game. The Blazers lost 111-109 to the Oklahoma City Thunder after Billups received two technical fouls with 15.1 seconds remaining.
The situation unfolded when Blazers guard Malcolm Brogdon was trapped in the frontcourt, causing Billups to call a timeout that went unnoticed by the referees. As a result, Brogdon was called for a double dribble and Billups received two technical fouls for arguing with a referee, leading to his ejection.
Kennedy offered clarification on the sequence of events after the game. He explained that the first technical foul was given because Billups made contact with the official while expressing his frustration. The second technical foul was assessed because Billups aggressively pursued the official following the initial technical foul.
When asked about Billups’ claim that he attempted to call a timeout, Kennedy stated that the referee assigned to the play was focusing on the double team happening in front of him. This made it difficult for him to hear or see a coach requesting a timeout from behind. The referee’s priority was to officiate the play until completion, resulting in the correct call of a double dribble and subsequent technical fouls.
