DeMarcus Cousins and Brian Shaw got double technical foul for ‘friendly trash talk,’ Kings center promises more techs

DeMarcus Cousins and Brian Shaw have been talking trash with each other for years.

Apparently, nobody alerted referee Monty McCutchen.

After Luke Walton got ejected from the Kings’ win over the Lakers night, Shaw – serving as Lakers coach – jawed with Cousins during free throws. That drew a double technical foul from McCutchen and gave Cousins his NBA-high ninth technical foul of the season.

Cousins, via James Ham of CSN California:

“I don’t understand what he saw,” Cousins said from his locker room stall. “B-Shaw and me talk trash since I’ve came into this league. Friendly trash talk, he (McCutchen) didn’t like the curse words me and B-Shaw said so he gave us techs.”

“It is what it is,” Cousins said. “I’ll talk to the league. We’ll see what happens, but I can guarantee this, it won’t be the last.”

“It’s been awhile since I’ve just went up to a ref and cursed him out. So I really don’t know what to do.”

“I see how some guys talk to the refs and it’s okay, and then there’s me,” Cousins added. “And then there’s me. Like I said, it just depends on their mood.”

Cousins has earned some of his technicals – and his reputation for crossing the line.

But referees have a duty not to judge players by their reputation and treat them all fairly. Cousins often draws too quick a whistle, and that was the case here. Officials should not interject themselves into trash talk that both sides view as friendly.