Raptors’ Fred VanVleet Criticizes Officiating After 108-100 Loss to Clippers

Raptors' Fred VanVleet (left) guarding Isaiah Thomas in 2018
Raptors' Fred VanVleet (left) guarding Isaiah Thomas in 2018. Photo by Canadian Press/REX/Shutterstock (9315656m)

The Toronto Raptors’ guard Fred VanVleet didn’t hold back when expressing his opinion on officiating in Wednesday night’s 108-100 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Speaking at a postgame press conference, VanVleet said the referees did a “terrible” job while singling out veteran referee Ben Taylor.

“I don’t mind, I’ll take a fine, I don’t really care,” VanVleet said.

The major issue for VanVleet seemed to be technical, which Taylor gave him in the third quarter.

“You come out tonight, competing pretty hard, and I get a tech that changes the whole dynamic of the game, changed the whole flow of the game,” he added.

VanVleet continued by saying how some referees have been ruining the game for fans and that “the power trip that we’ve been on this year with some of our officials in this league is getting out of hand.”

The technical foul in the Clippers game was the eighth technical for the 29-year-old player this season. Curiously, three of those eight were handed to him by Taylor.

VanVleet finished the Clippers game with 13 points, four rebounds, and nine assists. The loss dropped the Raptors to a 32-35 record, and they are currently sitting at No. 9 with just one game in hand on the Chicago Bulls, who are sitting outside the Play-In tournament at No.11.