Dillon Brooks received his 16th technical foul during the Suns’ loss to the Thunder and criticized the referees for inconsistent calls.
Dillon Brooks picked up his 16th technical foul during the Phoenix Suns 136-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, and it wasn't for the usual reason.
According to official Jason Williams, Brooks was assessed the foul because he was playing the victim too much.
The usually laid-back forward was quieter than normal after the game, mostly focused on the reasoning behind his technical. Brooks leads the league in technical fouls, but he noted that referees often hand him fouls faster than they do other players. When asked about dealing with frustration from officials, Brooks kept it straightforward.
"Consistency," he said per Hayden Cilley. "If you're going to be consistently bad, then be consistently bad throughout the whole game. Don't try to fix it during the game. Don't try to do any of that or try to even out foul calls or whatever the case might be. If you're going to be bad, be bad the whole game."
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
The timing of the technical is crucial. It came in the final game before the All-Star break, and if the foul stands, Brooks could miss the next game on Saturday against the Orlando Magic.
NBA rules state that every other technical foul (16, 18, 20, 22, etc.) results in an automatic one-game suspension.
If the foul holds, Brooks will be forced to sit out until Saturday's game against the Orlando Magic, even as Phoenix looks to rest up.
Subscribe to BN+ and get access to exclusive content.
If you like our content, please click here and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.