Devin Booker # 1 of the Phoenix Suns scores on a platter over Dennis Schroder # 17 of the Los Angeles Lakers as LeBron James # 23 and Markieff Morris # 88 during the second quarter at the Staples Center on March 2, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How / Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers were playing a highly competitive basketball game on Tuesday night. It was fun to watch and featured some high level plays during the half.
Unfortunately, the game reached a certain point in the second half when the referees decided it was enough.
Shortly after LeBron James and Frank Vogel of the Lakers were given techniques in the third quarter, Suns All-Star playmaker Devin Booker was sent off after receiving two of his own.
At the moment, it was unclear exactly what happened.
The TNT broadcast showed Booker receiving a technical foul and leaving the court. The news soon followed that Booker had been kicked out, much to the confusion of the commentary team covering the game off-site and everyone watching.
After a commercial break, TNT found the video showing Booker receiving two consecutive techniques. The first seemed quite common, with Booker expressing his frustration with the work done by the employees. Booker then issued a pass to a referee and soon received his second technical pass after that.
It is unclear whether or not Booker was played more for the pass or what he said. Regardless, for a game played at a high level, having a star player ejected in this way is extremely problematic and bad for the game.
The referees will speak to a pool reporter after the game to discuss the ejection.
Booker was the best player on the purple floor before he was sent off. He ended the night with 17 points from 7 out of 12 shots, three rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Despite Booker’s ejection being an obvious point where the dynamics of the game could change, the Suns continued to advance and ended up beating the Lakers by 114-104.