OAKLAND — With the outcome already decided, Rockets point guard Chris Paul received a second technical foul, and was ejected from Sunday’s Game 1, after appearing to make contact with an official while attempting to lobby for a foul call.
The tech came at the end of a wild, game-deciding sequence. James Harden missed what would’ve been a game-tying 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining. Paul corralled the rebound, but turned the ball over while attempting a pass to Eric Gordon. Paul appeared to be upset that Klay Thompson wasn’t called for a foul.
Chris Paul got his second technical foul and was ejected after the Rockets’ wild final possession #NBAPlayoffs
?: @SportsCenter
pic.twitter.com/zm75hPHfKk— USA TODAY NBA (@usatodaynba) April 28, 2019
After the game, Paul was asked about whether or not he made contact with the official. The question led to an interesting back-and-forth.
REPORTER: “Chris, what happened with the official there at the end? Looked like there might have been some contact, not sure if that was inadvertent.”
PAUL: “I don’t know yet. Ain’t nobody told me. He just called a tech and I knew that was my second.”
REPORTER: “Was there contact?”
PAUL: “I haven’t looked at it yet. Did you? You did? So you tell me.”
REPORTER: “I wasn’t the one who was involved in the contact.”
PAUL: “You asked me if there was?”
REPORTER: “It appeared there was contact, but from your perspective what happened there?”
PAUL: “I haven’t seen it yet.”
If the NBA does determine that Paul did in fact make contact with an official, he will likely be fined.