Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum, top, walks through a tunnel in front of center DeMarcus Cousins (15) and guard Patrick Beverley (21) after the Phoenix Suns defeated the Clippers in Game 2 of the NBA basketball Western Conference Finals, Tuesday, June 22, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
The NBA announced Wednesday that it has dolled out a technical foul to Los Angeles Clippers center DeMarcus Cousins for his actions toward the end of the Phoenix Suns’ Game 2 win in the Western Conference Finals.
Video replays released by the NBA show Cousins shoving Suns guards Cameron Payne and then Devin Booker during a dead-ball situation.
DeMarcus Cousins (LAC) has been assessed a postgame technical foul upon league review for actions at the conclusion of the game on 6/22/21. pic.twitter.com/VrS2MU8ZS3
— NBA Official (@NBAOfficial) June 23, 2021
Cousins appears to engage Payne as the teams went to their separate huddles before officials began a lengthy replay review that lasted more than eight minutes. Booker, heading to the Suns’ bench, walked to Cousins seemingly in defense of Payne and was also pushed by the Los Angeles big man.
The minor altercations were immediately after Phoenix center Deandre Ayton took an out-of-bounds pass from Jae Crowder and flushed it through the net for a go-ahead bucket that held through the final buzzer.
Cousins, who appeared in 16 regular season games this year for the Clippers, has played a minimal role in the first two games of the series against Phoenix.
He scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds in Game 1 but struggled with quick fouls and appeared in 13 minutes total on Sunday.
Cousins played only four minutes and posted two points and two fouls with a turnover in four minutes during Game 2 Tuesday.
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