In Atlanta on Sunday, the Hawks and Nets went back and forth in a classic offensive showcase between two solid Eastern Conference playoff teams.
Thanks to a game-winner from Trae Young in the closing seconds, the Hawks walked away with the win, but Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie made sure to voice his disapproval of the officiating after it was all said and done.
“If [someone] tries to climb KD’s back, they’re going to call it,” said Dinwiddie. “If KD says and-one, they’re not giving him a tech. All these things change the flow of the game. [Stars] can cuss them out, they can do whatever, and they’ll let all that s–t slide. That’s where you miss the superstars, especially in the fourth quarter.”
Star calls are a completely normal part of the NBA, and it’s an advantage that has always existed for the top players in the game. According to Spencer, it cost the Nets a very winnable game.
“If you get fouled, if you get touched, you’re going to get the call,” Dinwiddie continued. “Every time me and Trae Young did the same move, he gets free throws. On my end, they’re like, ‘Are you really shooting it?’ Well, what else was I doing? They’re like, ‘I don’t know. It’s bang-bang.’ Remember that happened to me four times; that’s eight free throws. The game isn’t close. We lose by two; I had eight free throws. Trae Young got it every time.”
Dinwiddie isn’t the only guy to call out the refs this season. If you remember, LeBron James called them out earlier this season when he complained about never getting calls.
So it seems to be a common occurrence for players to take shots at the officials now, but Dinwiddie should have bigger priorities at the moment right now anyway.
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Spencer’s rant against the refs wasn’t just about calling out officiating. In reality, his quote exposed his level of frustration with how far the Nets have slid since the start of the season.
Just a few months ago, Brooklyn looked like one of the best teams in the East, with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Now, they are 5th in the East and just 8 games above .500.
If Dinwiddie really wants to get the Nets back to a state of contention, he has to worry less about getting calls on the court and more about bringing the most out of his new teammates.
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