{"id":716635,"date":"2026-04-23T16:33:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T16:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/716635\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T16:33:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T16:33:19","slug":"suns-star-devin-booker-rightfully-goes-scorched-earth-on-nba-refs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/716635\/","title":{"rendered":"Suns Star Devin Booker Rightfully Goes Scorched Earth on NBA Refs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker, clearly frustrated in his post-game presser, didn’t hold back after Game 2’s loss<\/a> to the Oklahoma City Thunder. <\/p>\n

And quite frankly, he’s justified. <\/p>\n

The Thunder are obviously the better team out of the two in their first-round matchup, one they lead 2-0 in the series. <\/p>\n

However, some of the officiating has been questionable at best. While the Suns just simply aren’t built to take down OKC, some calls being tilted doesn’t instill confidence in officiating. <\/p>\n

“I still haven’t got one,” Booker said when asked about a technical foul he picked up when trying to save the ball. <\/p>\n

“It’s definitely something that has to be looked at. I heard (Alex) Caruso tell them to call the tech and he ended up doing it. In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James (Williams) was terrible tonight, through and through. It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as the WWE if they’re not held responsible.”<\/p>\n

Devin Booker receives a technical foul trying to save the ball from going out of bounds. \ud83d\ude33\ud83e\udd14<\/p>\n

(h\/t @ridiculouscage<\/a>)<\/p>\n

pic.twitter.com\/4xnQpT8qWX<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Booker was also whistled for an offensive foul when simply going up for a jumpshot earlier in the game, catching Thunder guard Alex Caruso. <\/p>\n

Offensive foul on Devin Booker vs free throws for SGA<\/p>\n

\ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udd14 pic.twitter.com\/6lgcX3uuSU<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

“They said an unnatural shooting motion that hit Caruso, but Caruso is moving forward on that. If that’s an unnatural shooting motion compared to what guys are doing to get fouls nowadays \u2014 you can play them side by side and I’ll let you guys be the judge. Pull the clips. Run it back. I’m surprised this is happening on national tv, in the playoff games,” Booker continued. <\/p>\n

“It’s hard, it feels disrespectful. I know I haven’t won a championship in this league but I have been in it for 11 years now, so to get to this point to be treated like that, for me to even be saying something out loud, it’s bad. It’s my first time in 11 years but it’s needed. Whatever, I get fined for it, everybody can pull the clips and see where the frustration comes from.”<\/p>\n

The Suns are obvious underdogs to the Thunder, but Booker does raise a fair point. For a player who is considered in the star category, his whistle isn’t quite that in the caliber of others. <\/p>\n

That won’t change the outcome of their series against Oklahoma City, though it’s a talking point that is now brought into the national spotlight by the player himself. <\/p>\n

\"\"Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow<\/a>