Raptors’ VanVleet heavily criticizes officiating after loss

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fred VanVleet tried to takea double breath before addressing reporters. But the TorontoRaptors guard was unable to suppress his frustration with refereeBen Taylor and his crew.

VanVleet was extremely critical of Taylor after the Raptors’108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night — notonly for being called for a technical foul, but for the disparityin fouls and free throws.

“I don’t mind it. I’ll take the fine. I don’t really care. Ithought Ben Taylor was terrible tonight,” VanVleet said while usingprofanity. “I think that most nights, you know out of the three,there’s one or two that just (mess) the game up. It’s been likethat a couple of games in a row. Denver was tough, obviously.

“You come out tonight, competing pretty hard and I get a (lousy)tech that changes the whole dynamic of the game, changed the wholeflow of the game.”

Fred VanVleet went OFF on referee Ben Taylorand NBA reffing in general in his post-game after the Raptors loss.Haven't heard anything like this. pic.twitter.com/VcMkGTh0k3

VanVleet, who is in his sixth year in the league, was called forhis eighth technical of the season with 7:02 remaining in the thirdquarter. Paul George made the free throw to put the Clippers up65-57.

VanVleet said the reason he picked up the technical was becausehe was imploring his team to play through what he thought were somequestionable calls, albeit with more colorful language. He alsosaid he understood there is a fine line on what he can say, butthought Taylor didn’t give him enough leeway.

Toronto was called for 23 fouls to Los Angeles’ 18, but theClippers were 24 of 31 from the line while the Raptors were 13 of14.

“We weren’t getting our money’s worth on a lot of those,”Raptors coach Nick Nurse said of the fouls. “Probably a little bitof contact. We didn’t adjust (to the style of play) because we wereback in the same situation.”

VanVleet and the Raptors were already in a foul mood aboutofficiating before Wednesday’s game. They lost Monday night atDenver 118-113 after Scottie Barnes was ejected by Scott Fosterwith 28.3 seconds left and the Raptors trailing by one.

The technical came after Toronto’s Jakob Poeltl was called for afoul. Denver made the three subsequent free throws to ice thegame.

Of VanVleet’s eight technicals, three have been assessed byTaylor with one other coming from another official on a game Taylorwas working. Taylor is in his 10th season as an NBA official.

“At a certain point as a player, you feel it’s personal and it’snever a good place to be,” VanVleet said. “That’s not why we losttonight, we got outplayed, but it definitely makes it tougher toovercome.”

VanVleet was already facing a $3,000 fine for the technical. Hewill face a bigger one for going off on officiating.

“I think the jurisdiction and the power trip that we’ve been onthis year with some of our officials in this league is getting outof hand and l’ll take my fine for speaking on it,” VanVleet said.“Most of the refs are trying hard, I like a lot of the refs,they’re trying hard, they’re pretty fair, and communicate well. Andthen you got the other ones who just want to be (idiots) and justkind of (screw) up the game. And no one’s coming to see that. Theycome to see the players.

“And I think we’re losing a little bit of the fabric of what theNBA is and was, and it’s been disappointing this season.”