Devin Booker Criticizes NBA Officiating After Suns' Game 2 Loss

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker delivered pointed criticism of NBA officiating after his team's 120-107 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 2 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series on Wednesday night at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The defeat put Phoenix in an 0-2 hole against the top-seeded Thunder, who are the defending champions with a 64-18 regular-season record.

The flashpoint came late in the third quarter, with the Suns trailing 93-75. Booker attempted to save a loose ball from going out of bounds by flipping it backward, but it struck Thunder forward Jaylin Williams in the face. Officials, led by crew chief James Williams, assessed a technical foul on Booker after a brief review and a gathering of players near the sideline. Booker claimed Thunder guard Alex Caruso influenced the call by yelling at the referees and motioning for the technical.

"It's definitely something that has to be looked at," Booker said in his postgame news conference. "I heard Caruso tell them to call the tech and he ended up doing it." In a rare outburst during his 11-year career, Booker singled out Williams by name. "In my 11 years, I haven't called a ref out by name, but...