Oklahoma City Thunder’s big three is still finding its rhythm after suffering a second straight loss on Sunday. Of course, it didn’t help that one if their star players, Carmelo Anthony, got ejected from the game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Melo was ejected in the third quarter of the game after he elbowed Blazers’ center Jusuf Nurkic during a lay-up. Interesting thing is that the on-field call was foul on Nurkic, and Melo initially had the basket counted and awarded a free throw. After Nurkic stayed on the ground for a while and crowd got restless, the officials decided to review the play. The final outcome was a flagrant foul 2 on Anthony, which meant he was out of the game which ended 103-99 in favor of the Blazers.
“I don’t have no thoughts,” – Anthony told reporters after the game. “I don’t have anything to say about that play. I think the league will do what’s right.“
Thunder coach Billy Donovan wasn’t happy about the ejection.
“I’ve never seen in the history of the game a guy get an and-1 play and then get ejected from the game,” – said Donovan. “That’s probably something you’ve got to talk to the league about.“
Before the play for which Anthony got ejected, Russell Westbrook also got hit in the face following a reach-in move by Noah Vonleh, but the judges didn’t call a foul and refused to review the play.
“I got hit in the face. They didn’t review it as they should,” – Westbrook said. “I just think that when it’s us, our team, myself, they don’t do the same thing they do. Last game, tipped ball, against Celtics, I accidentally hit the guy in the face. Flagrant foul on me. It was an accident, but I hit him. I actually got hit in the face today. Nobody looks at it. Melo goes, hits Nurkic. They go review. It’s a bunch of bulls—.“
