'Absolute joke': NBA fans divided over 'soft' ejection
A controversial ejection for Detroit star Blake Griffin has divided NBA fans and proven costly for the Pistons against the Hornets.
Griffin was given a flagrant-2 foul and ejected with 7:06 to play for a shoulder check on Malik Monk.
The Detroit recruit turned his shoulder to brace for contact as the Hornets man took the ball inside the paint.
Despite the contact being on the minimal end of the scale, the referees decided to give Griffin the boot for a dangerous act.
The Pistons went on to lose the contest 113-103, with the ejection proving particularly divisive for fans on social media.
Blake griffin ejection was an absolute joke, the nba is so soft it’s unwatchable
— Christian Maselli (@Christmaselli33) November 12, 2018
It takes @blakegriffin23 getting bad calls and ejected for the @DetroitPistons to play hard. They settled for bad 3 and played lackluster. Refs were bad, but the blame is on the team's poor performance
— De-Von (@DeVonAmbitious) November 11, 2018
The refereeing in the NBA is absolutely awful. No reason for that @blakegriffin23 ejection.
— Steve (@stevenisaverage) November 11, 2018
Blake Griffin dirty shoulder into Malik Monk gets him ejected – FSSE https://t.co/w1SnuVLzeV
— Daily NBA Scoop (@dailynbascoop) November 11, 2018
@hornets gonna win this game and should name the @OfficialNBARefs player of the game and give them the game ball. @blakegriffin23 should file an police report for the mugging he got today.
— SEMPERNAUT (@SEMPERNAUT) November 11, 2018
lol actually i knew Blake Griffin would get a flagrant 2. never fails. bully baller bastard. all w/e in the end.
— bobby aint my real name! (@bobbyblam) November 11, 2018
That was a dirty ass play from Blake Griffin 👋👋 #NBA
— BP🖖🏽 (@BP798) November 11, 2018
That was disgusting what Blake Griffin just did to Malik Monk. Flagrant 2 completely justified and should receive a 2-3 game suspension IMO. What he did has nothing to do with basketball and Monk could've gotten seriously hurt.
— Kristian Palotie (@CoachPalotie) November 11, 2018
Griffin shot 4-for-16, missing all five 3-pointers, and is 6-for-26 in his last two games.
Detroit coach Dwane Casey went in to bat for his under-pressure star after the match.
“We’re asking Blake to carry too much of a load right now,” Casey said.
“He’s bringing the ball up the floor, then going into the post and getting hit on every shot. It’s taking a toll on him.”
Casey was full of praise for NBA veteran Tony Parker, who turned back the clock with a vintage display for the Hornets, scoring 24 points in 28 minutes off the bench.
“That’s what Tony does. I’m just surprised that he never loses any of his speed and quickness,” Casey said.
“He got to every spot he wanted to out there, and we weren’t stopping him.
“He’s probably going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but we’ve got to be better.”
Parker improved to 20-11 in the regular season against the Pistons, first playing them as a 19-year-old with San Antonio on Jan. 2, 2002.
The Spurs also beat Detroit in seven games in the 2005 finals.
Cody Zeller added 14 points as Charlotte won for the third time in four games.
“I thought they were great tonight,” Charlotte coach James Borrego said.
“Their effort and their attention to detail were fantastic. I’m really proud of our group on both ends of the floor.”
Andre Drummond had 23 points and 22 rebounds for the Pistons, and Reggie Bullock had a career-high 23 points, hitting six 3-pointers.
Detroit has lost six of eight after a 4-0 start.
“We are our own worst enemies,” Casey said.
“We have to make shots and we have to stop getting caught out of position on defense. I’m going to have to make sure everyone understands our defensive assignments.”
The Hornets started the third quarter with a 10-2 run to go ahead 61-51, and only 12 points from Bullock in the quarter kept Detroit within eight going into the fourth. Walker had nine points in the quarter and Charlotte went 6 of 8 on 3-pointers.
“We played hard and we played the right way, but the challenge is not getting frustrated,” said Reggie Jackson.
“We have to find a way to stay consistent all game.”
With agencies