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'It's getting out of hand', Toronto Raptors' guard Fred VanVleet slams referee in post-game interview
Fred VanVleet tried to take a double breath before addressing reporters. But the Toronto Raptors guard was unable to suppress his frustration with referee Ben Taylor and his crew
Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet has expressed his frustration with referee Ben Taylor and his crew following their 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night. In a post-game interview, VanVleet criticized Taylor for calling a technical foul on him and for the disparity in fouls and free throws.
During the game, VanVleet was called for his eighth technical of the season with 7:02 remaining in the third quarter, leading to Paul George making the free throw and putting the Clippers up 65-57. VanVleet claimed he was trying to urge his team to play through what he thought were questionable calls but felt Taylor didn't give him enough leeway.
“I don’t mind it. I’ll take the fine. I don’t really care. I thought Ben Taylor was terrible tonight," VanVleet said while using a profanity. "I think that most nights, you know out of the three, there’s one or two that just (mess) the game up. It’s been like that a couple of games in a row. Denver was tough, obviously.
"You come out tonight, competing pretty hard and I get a (lousy) tech that changes the whole dynamic of the game, changed the whole flow of the game.”
The Raptors were called for 23 fouls to Los Angeles' 18, but the Clippers were 24 of 31 from the line while the Raptors were 13 of 14. Raptors coach Nick Nurse said they weren’t getting their money’s worth on a lot of those fouls.
VanVleet and the Raptors were already frustrated with officiating before Wednesday’s game, having lost on Monday night at Denver 118-113 after Scottie Barnes was ejected by Scott Foster with 28.3 seconds left and the Raptors trailing by one.
VanVleet's technical fouls are not new. Of his eight technicals this season, three have been assessed by Taylor, with one other coming from another official on a game Taylor was working. Taylor is in his 10th season as an NBA official.
Despite being aware of the potential fine for speaking out, VanVleet feels that it is necessary to bring attention to the "jurisdiction and the power trip that we’ve been on this year with some of our officials in this league." He believes that the NBA is losing its fabric and disappointing this season. While he acknowledges that the officiating was not the sole reason for their loss, he feels that it made it tougher to overcome.
