Brook Lopez got seriously hot – uncharacteristically hot!
The Milwaukee Bucks centre received his first career ejection in his team’s home clash with the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday (all times AEDT) after removing Gary Trent Jr.’s headband.
Lopez and Trent midway through the fourth quarter got tangled up off the ball while Jrue Holiday drove to the basket, before Lopez took off Trent’s headband as the pair shuffled towards the baseline.
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Wed, 18 Jan
Wednesday January 18th
Trent’s teammate, OG Anunoby, then intervened by going at Lopez, firing up the enraged Bucks big as he had to be held back by multiple players and coaches, while Joe Ingles restrained Anunoby.
After a lengthy deliberation from the officials, Lopez was given two technical fouls and ejected from the contest for two hostile acts.
Anunoby and Raptors assistant Jamaal Magloire were also handed technicals for their roles in the scuffle.
Asked post-match by Bally Sports why he got so frustrated, Lopez said: “I dunno, I can’t expect the refs to get it right if they’re not going to get it right during the game. Why are they going to get it right when they replay it or any calls, you know?
“It is what it is … I make mistakes, you make mistakes … they make mistakes too. They made mistakes tonight and it’s what it is.
“They’re human and they’re fallible. Even with the help of replay, they still have a tough time. So it’s cool, you know, it’s what it is.”
Lopez’s departure left a Bucks team already missing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton (both knee soreness) even more shorthanded, but Holiday’s season-high 37 points powered it to a 130-122 win.
With it, Milwaukee improved to 29-16, while Toronto fell to 20-25. The two teams will meet again twice – on March 20 and April 10.
