DeMarcus Cousins is not officiated like any other player in the league.
He gets zero benefit of the doubt anymore.
Two days after he was legitimately ejected from the first meeting of a set of games against the Lakers — and he picked up $10,000 in fines for that game — Cousins picked up another technical foul against L.A. on Tuesday night.
Cousins tried to draw the charge on a Kyle Kuzma drive but had his foot on the line and got called for the block. He didn’t like the call, bounced up and complained — in general, not charging toward an official — and picked up a technical within seconds.
Does that meet the letter of the law for a “respect the game” technical? Probably, sure. We also don’t know what was said.
Would most referees just let that slide with another player? To my eye, yes.
Monty McCutchen (the NBA’s Vice President of referee development and training) and people in the league office might deny that, but some players get cut some slack. Most players get the benefit of the doubt.
Not Cousins. He could pick up a technical lacing up his Nikes at this point.