Photo credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Ref Declares Duke Basketball Product’s Contact Is ‘Too Much to Ignore'
With 2:13 to play in the Phoenix Suns' 123-113 loss at the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, former four-year Duke basketball guard Grayson Allen missed a reverse layup attempt. Then, in an attempt to grab his own rebound, the 28-year-old Suns starter's right hand connected with the nose of Mavericks star Luka Doncic.
Unfortunately for Doncic, who came up one rebound shy of a triple-double in the contest, he's been nursing a broken nose ever since suffering the injury less than three weeks ago. Judging by his reaction, it looks as though Allen may have reaggravated it.
Allen, who padded his league-leading 3-point percentage (48.6) by finishing 2-for-2 from downtown yet managed only 10 points in his 37 minutes of action, got whistled for illegal contact. The Suns challenged the call.
That resulted in a review and the now-viral verdict from referee Kevin Scott on the mic. Of course, Scott's delivery, comical due to Allen's reputation as one of the "dirtiest" players in the NBA, led to a mass of anti-Allen NBA fans erupting in the comments on social media:
"After review, the call on the floor stands," Scott declared. "The challenge is unsuccessful. The illegal contact committed by Allen is too much ignore after the loose-ball attempt where he deflects the basketball."
Finally, Scott repeated his observation with a bit of extra emphasis on the "too much" part: "The illegal contact is too much to ignore."
The game's outcome was already all but decided, as Phoenix trailed, 120-108..
Two Duke basketball talents started for Dallas. Veteran guard Kyrie Irving scored 29 points in 36 minutes on the floor. And rookie center Dereck Lively II, who recently sustained a nasal fracture at the hands of a fellow NBA Blue Devil in Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., had five points, four boards, and two blocks in 16 minutes.
With their win, the Mavericks (33-23) pulled into a tie with the Suns (33-23) at No. 6 in the Western Conference standings.
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