TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer
CLEVELAND (AP) — Clippers All-Star guard Chris Paul was critical of referee Lauren Holtkamp following a 105-94 loss to the Cavaliers on Thursday night.
Paul was assessed a technical foul in the third quarter by Holtkamp, who worked with officials Ken Mauer and Eric Lewis. Los Angeles was given five technicals — four in the third quarter, three of them in a 52-second span.
Paul got his technical with 10:17 left in the third. Following a free throw by Cleveland, the Clippers were attempting to inbound the ball quickly when Holtkamp, one of two active female officials in the NBA, stepped in. Paul questioned her and was slapped with the technical.
“The tech I got was ridiculous,” Paul said. “That’s terrible. There’s no way that can be a technical. We try to get the ball out fast every time down the court. When we did that, she said, ‘Uh-uh.’ I said, ‘Why uh-uh?’ and she gave me a technical. That’s ridiculous. If that’s the case, this might not be for her.”
Clippers coach Doc Rivers also received a technical and forward Matt Barnes was ejected in the third by Lewis after getting his second “T.”
Barnes got tangled up with Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, shoved him and got the technical. He got the second one when he complained about teammate Jamal Crawford getting called for a charging foul and told Lewis, ‘Don’t give them the game.’
Barnes is tied for the league lead with 11 technicals and has been ejected twice.
“It keeps happening,” Barnes said. “Some of these I earn, some of them I don’t.”
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