The Milwaukee Bucks-Toronto Raptors Tuesday clash was marred by an altercation in a near-end game that featured Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr.
With less than seven minutes left in the last frame, Lopez and Trent Jr. tangled with each other and forced themselves out of the court. Out of frustration, the big man pulled away the headband of the Raptors veteran.
OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam entered the process to halt the wrap-up, with Lopez being pulled out and visibly upset on the process while several Milwaukee and Toronto units went in to stop the incident.
After the review, Lopez was slapped with a double technical that ousted him out of the game – the first time in his career. Anunoby and Raptors assistant Jamal Magloire received one technical apiece due to their roles in the altercation.
Right at postgame, Lopez admitted that he lost his temper on what happened.
“I can’t expect the refs to get it right if they’re not gonna get it right during the game, why are they gonna get it right when they replay it or any of the other calls,” Lopez said, per CBS Sports’ Jack Maloney. “It is what it is. I make mistakes, you make mistakes”
As such, when asked by teammate Joe Ingles why he pulled Trent’s headband, the center offered a hilarious blaming response.
“It was just driving me so insane, I had to do something,” Lopez pertaining to the headband. “It was talking to me. Make sure this never gets aired: You know how like serial killers say the dog in their apartment building was talking? The headband was talking to me.”
Casting the balanced scoring of their supporting cast, the Bucks prevailed over the Raps despite the absences of Giannis Antetokounmpo, 130-122. Jrue Holiday led the way for Milwaukee with 37 points, six boards, and seven assists.
