The Golden State Warriors and Charlotte Hornets game ended in controversy. Referee Marc Davis then added fuel to the fire with his post game interview.
He got asked about ejecting Draymond Green. Davis said “his first technical foul was assessed when he directed profanity at his opponent. He was assessed his first technical foul for verbally taunting an opponent. Then he proceeded to direct screaming profanity at a game official and received his technical foul and was ejected per rule.”
Green was upset about a timeout being awarded to the Hornets. So he’s going to taunt an opponent for what reason? That response alone from Davis makes absolutely no sense and seems more like he’s trying to get his story straight from other officials and not saying what actually happened. In other words not taking ownership of the mistakes that got made late in that game.
It only gets worse for Davis when he answers about the timeout. He said “PJ Washington requested its timeout and Gordon Hayward clear and sole possession of the ball. As per rule, Charlotte was granted the timeout. Postgame video confirms this decision.”
No the video doesn’t confirm that at all. Ball is clearly still loose as Green and Hayward battle for control of the basketball. There was never sole possession. Davis is blatantly lying and the NBA must discipline him severely for it.
Here’s a clip that shows what really happened. There’s never a point in said clip where Hayward had clear and obvious possession of the basketball and certainly there wasn’t any time for the Hornets to call timeout. In reality it shows Green making a great heads up play to force a jump ball that needed to get called.
Draymond Green was ejected with nine seconds left and a two-point Warriors lead.
A wild sequence. pic.twitter.com/J5dhSBTc0Q
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 21, 2021
Here’s a reaction from Steve Kerr as well.
Steve Kerr on Draymond Green’s ejection: “He crossed the line.”
?: @NBCSWarriors
pic.twitter.com/aR90HhdeB9— USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) February 21, 2021
Back in 2016 the Los Angeles Times surveyed around 36 NBA players, head coaches, and assistant coaches on the best three and worst three referees in the NBA. Not surprising Davis was one of the worst.
This was also said about him by a player “he instigates things sometimes. Marc will go back at a player. He forgets that he’s talking to another man. Don’t challenge a man’s manhood. Now you are going too far.” Another player said this “Marc Davis is hands down the worst. He acts likes he’s your friend, but he’ll just screw you. He’ll screw you and he’ll get the biggest attitude about it.”
Unfortunately for Davis he has put himself front in center with what happened tonight. He showed his willingness to lie instead of taking ownership and admitting mistakes that got made and now he lacks any credibility.
It’s time for the NBA to fire Davis.