NEW YORK _ Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan took exception to the referees' handling of Wednesday night's altercations between Pacers forward T.J. Warren and Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler, saying there should have been an ejection for Butler as well as the one issued to Warren.
"They said he was clapping at Butler, but Butler was also kissing at him," McMillan said of the back and forth between Warren and Butler, with Warren receiving a second technical foul for clapping derisively at Butler, while Butler's blowing of mock kisses at Warren apparently was not detected by the officials.
Warren and Butler each had received technical fouls seconds earlier after a standoff following a foul by Warren in the third quarter of the Heat's 122-108 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
"None of the officials saw that," McMillan said of Butler's air kisses. "Both guys should've been ejected in that situation. Emotions, they're going to happen. We needed to see some fight. We needed to see some scrap. I like that Warren was trying to get aggressive defensively and Butler reacted to the pressure defense.
"I don't think it was anything dirty by Warren. He didn't slam him to the floor or anything. Butler responded by getting into his face."
Butler then launched into a profanity-laced discourse after the game about how the Pacers insulted him by playing Warren as his defender.
"I mean, to me, I think it's tough for him, because I can guard him and he can't guard me," Butler said. "Because at the end of the day that's what it comes down to."
Warren left the Pacers' locker room without comment, with his middle-finger gesture toward Butler possibly to receive league sanction.
The Heat did not practice Thursday, with their three-game trip continuing Friday against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
Guard T.J. McConnell, who played alongside Butler with the Philadelphia 76ers and now is Warren's teammate with the Pacers, offered a balanced take to the Indianapolis Star.
"It was the heat of the game, two competitors," McConnell said. "That happens time to time. Guys lose their cool.
"I had the pleasure playing with Jimmy for a year in Philly. He's like family to me. T.J. Warren is also a really good friend of mine. I try to stay out of those situations. Obviously, you have your teammate's back."
But McConnell, who shared an embrace with Butler during Wednesday's game, said Butler's emotion is real.
"The thing I respect about him most is he's never going to force the issue," McConnell said. "He's going to make the right play no matter what. That's why they've been so successful this year. He's been their anchor, defends teams' best players, I could go on.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for him. He's the guy if he takes six shots, he's not going to be moping around demanding for the ball. Happy to see him happy, but not at our expense."
