Detroit Pistons guard Reggie Jackson apparently does not regret confronting the referee and drawing a technical foul late in Sunday’s game one playoff loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Reggie gave the following response in his post game presser:
Nah. I wish I get the call. I wish they would see me get slapped on the arm. It felt to me blatantly obvious. Got to let them know.
The game was tightly contested and Reggie’s technical was costly for his team. Reggie famously wanted out of Oklahoma City last season because he believed he was talented enough to be a starting point guard. Reggie finally has that role and is playing well for his team. Regarding Sunday’s late game technical Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy said:
I think he knows the message. You cannot — you cannot — get a technical foul. I understand you’re frustrated, you think you got fouled … whatever, it doesn’t matter. Certainly not at that point in the game. One point is huge. It can’t be done. I’m sure if you ask him, he’d tell you the same thing.
Not quite Stan. Reggie needs to understand that the other critical component to being the man/leader on an NBA playoff team is understanding time, score, situation and not putting your team in bad positions. Reggie still has a bit more to learn on that front.