Philadelphia 76ers forward Kelly Oubre hurled a series of insults at referees after some questionable calls led to his team’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers went to Philadelphia for the teams’ second matchup in four days. Late in the fourth quarter, the 76ers trailed the Clippers 108-107. The Sixers won a jump ball at half court with just five seconds left and quickly tried to get a shot up. Oubre attacked the basketball but missed what would have been the game-winning layup due to the defense of Clippers forward Paul George. After the miss, Oubre sat on the ground and appeared upset that he wasn’t given a foul for the final play.
Before that play, Oubre was already upset when the refs overturned an out-of-bounds call and gave the Clippers possession instead of the Sixers.
The fact the refs saw this & thought “yup, CLEARLY off Oubre” literally changed the whole game… Not only did they over turn the call & give the Clippers the ball, it gave Ty Lue another challenge which he used on the Maxey call with 7 seconds left.
Disgraceful @NBAOfficial pic.twitter.com/auExtEVKAq
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) March 28, 2024
When the final buzzer sounded and the Sixers lost, Oubre let the refs have it. The 28-year-old calmly walked over to all three of them and pointed at each one say, “You’re a bitch. You’re a bitch. You’re a bitch.”
After that flurry of insults, Oubre continues and appears to say, “Your mom’s a bitch. Your dad’s a bitch. Your grandma’s a bitch.” Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey then stepped in and pulled him away.
Referees determined during a post-game video review that George should have been called for a foul on the final play.
In postgame video review, the officials determined that a foul should have been called on Paul George in closing second. However, no foul was called and the Clippers escaped with a 108-107 victory over the Sixers.
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) March 28, 2024
Still, Oubre later apologized for the outburst.
Kelly Oubre Jr, on his heated exchange with the refs after the game.
“I want to apologize for just losing my cool, because that’s something I try to work on each and every day, and try to represent God in the best way I possibly can, and that wasn’t it. I just ask for… pic.twitter.com/OK9w4dbRcp
— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) March 28, 2024
Watch above via ESPN
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]