Nets’ Steve Nash ERUPTS in furious outburst at official and picks up the first ejection as coach

Nets’ Steve Nash has to be held back by his staff as he ERUPTS in furious outburst at an official and picks up the first ejection of his coaching career… but insists he ‘was just standing up for our guys’ as he felt Patty Mills was hit in the throat

  • The 47-year-old Canadian lost his cool with refs at the end of the third quarter
  • He went ballistic when officials didn’t call a foul on Giannis for striking Patty Mills
  • The Nets coaching staff and small forward Royce O’Neale had to restrain Nash
  • ‘I was just standing up for our guys,’ Nash said postgame after Brooklyn’s loss
  • Click here for all your latest international Sports news from DailyMail.com

Steve Nash was ejected for the first time in his two-year coaching career and had to be restrained by his coaching staff after he erupted against NBA officials in the Nets’ loss to the Bucks on Wednesday night. 

With Brooklyn leading against Milwaukee, 70-66, with four-and-a-half minutes to go until the end of the third quarter, Nash was the recipient of consecutive technical fouls after he felt Patty Mills had been hit in the throat by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s left arm on an offensive possession for the Bucks.

The Nets head coach exploded and was even caught on camera saying ‘for what’ before pointing at the referee while his assistants and small forward Royce O’Neale acted as peacemakers. 

The Nets coaching staff had to keep Nash away from officials in a rare sight of the Canadian losing his cool

Nets’ Steve Nash was ejected for the first time in his coaching career on Wednesday night in the third quarter of Brooklyn’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks after ‘exploding’ against the refs

POINT THE BLAME: Nash was incensed at the refers after they failed to call a foul on Patty Mills

POINT THE BLAME: Nash was incensed at the refers after they failed to call a foul on Patty Mills

‘I was just standing up for our guys,’ Nash said postgame after the back-to-back loss, following Memphis’ win at the Barclays Center on Wednesday. 

‘I thought Patty took a forearm in the throat from Giannis right in front of the ref and I didn’t think that was fair. I don’t think I was overly demonstrative. I was upset that I got a tech.’ 

Before receiving his second technical, Nash had approached sideline referee Josh Given, who clearly didn’t want to offer any explanations in relation to the no-call on Mills. 

In the heat of the moment on Wednesday night, one man who offered support to his coach by giving him a high-five down low following his ejection was Durant. 

‘I watched him play for 20 years,’ Kevin Durant told reporters after the game.

‘I’ve seen him talk s**t to the refs […] My first few years Steve used to talk so crazy to the refs, so when he didn’t get a tech as a coach, I’m like ”where is that s**t?” Because he’s feisty.’ 

Nets' Royce O'Neale had to restrain his head coach, who said he was 'standing up for our guys'

Nets’ Royce O’Neale had to restrain his head coach, who said he was ‘standing up for our guys’

The two-time NBA champion also had beef with the referees earlier in the quarter himself, earning a technical foul when he sarcastically clapped at them after they blew the whistle on a foul from Antetokounmpo. 

The 34-year-old scored 33 points for Brooklyn, while Kyrie Irving had 27. 

Antetokounmpo scored 34 points in the second half as the Bucks outscored the Nets 67-44 over the final two periods. 

Nash was ejected twice during his 18-season playing career with the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers. 



***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk