Bucks coach Jim Boylan on Larry Sanders: 'Behave like a professional'

Bucks big man Larry Sanders has been ejected in two straight games and has 11 technical fouls this season. (Barry Gossage/Getty Images)

After receiving two technical fouls with 2:44 left in the Milwaukee Bucks' loss to the Miami Heat, Bucks big man Larry Sanders was ejected for the second straight game on Friday night.

Video of his mocking thumbs-up to referees during a loss to the Wizards on Wednesday night even went viral on the internet.

But coach Jim Boylan has apparently seen enough of Sanders' confrontations with officials, calling his starting center out in comments to the media after Friday's game, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Boylan said there would be a serious discussion with Sanders about his on-court behavior.

"You're a professional athlete, and you have to behave like a professional," Boylan said. "The referees don't come in here with an agenda, for the most part. They come in here and ref the game.

"I know all those guys. It doesn't mean you can't have an argument or a disagreement with one of them. That happens in the heat of the game. We'll talk with Larry. Like I've said to Larry before, I don't mind him playing with emotion as long as it doesn't hurt the team.

"Getting ejected from two games in a row, it's not good for our team and it's not good for Larry."

Sanders is a candidate for the Most Improved player award -- averaging 9.1 points, 9.2 rebounds and a league-leading 3.1 blocks -- but is also tied for sixth in the NBA with 11 technical fouls.

He shrugged off the ejection after the game.

"I can imagine it's hard for a referee to ref a Miami Heat game," Sanders said. "It's hard for me to take that sometimes. I feel like things are kind of swayed. Maybe (I should) care a little less."