Prior to missing the majority of the last two seasons with injuries, DeMarcus Cousins was routinely among the NBA’s leaders in technical fouls. On at least one occasion, the new Rockets center said he believed his reputation for whistles was helping spark some of those calls.
That may have been the case on Monday night versus Dallas, when Cousins was ejected after picking up a pair of technical fouls in less than three minutes. The second seemed particularly innocuous, with Cousins gesturing after a made layup to suggest that he had also been fouled.
Nonetheless, Houston’s backup center was given his second technical, making for an automatic ejection. Rockets coach Stephen Silas loudly objected, as did the crowd at Toyota Center, but to no avail.
John Goble, Dedric Taylor, and Jonathan Sterling were the three game officials, as assigned by the NBA.
DeMarcus Cousins was just ejected with two technicals after playing just three minutes. pic.twitter.com/3BRFssTECD
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 5, 2021
The first technical was given when Cousins pushed Willie Cauley-Stein after a brief dispute. The Mavericks center was given a technical, as well. The big men know each other well, having been teammates in Sacramento during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
With Cousins ejected, starting center Christian Wood took on an even bigger role in Monday’s game for Silas and the Rockets.
Boogie and Willie Cauley-Stein getting chippy.
Double techs pic.twitter.com/Z9hOJlHjP1
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 5, 2021
