DeMarcus Cousins demands ref ‘accountability’ after Suns’ Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks’ rants

The Phoenix Suns are down 2-0 in their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and after Game 2, they were more worried about the officiating than anything. There were several calls throughout the game that seemed questionable to the Suns, and they ultimately think that led to their loss.

Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks were the two players who expressed their frustrations about the officiating, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if a fine was coming their way. One former player who agreed with them was DeMarcus Cousins, who said the refs need to be held accountable.

“Why is it such a taboo to call out the referees? Because they put a rule in place to do so? These referees need to be held accountable,” Cousins said on the Run It Back show.

"What's wrong with the accountability? … These referees should be held accountable at some point."

DeMarcus Cousins on Devin Booker calling out the refs after Game 2 of Suns-Thunder

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Unfortunately, when the referees are held accountable, only one side gets punished, and it’s either the player or the coach.

Booker called out a referee by name after their Game 2 loss.

“In my 11 years, I haven’t called a ref out by name, but James [Williams] was terrible tonight through and through,” Booker said. “It’s bad for the sport, bad for the integrity of the sport. People are going to start viewing this as a WWE if they’re not held responsible.

“It just 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.”

As for Brooks, he doesn’t want the game to come down to free throws.

“This is physical basketball. I don’t get why all the dropping and the falling and the flopping and the flailing and all this stuff is allowed when we get to the playoffs,” Brooks said. “Leave that for the [regular] season for the fans. This is about who’s the better team, who’s a more with-it team. Don’t decide the games on no free throws.”

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