DeMarcus Cousins faces suspension after picking up 16th technical foul
Near the very end of the Kings' win over the Wizards on Wednesday, Sacramento was whistled for a five-second violation while leading by 14 points with 6.7 seconds left. The game was already decided, and it's a violation you seldom see called.
DeMarcus Cousins felt it was silly to needlessly extend the game like this, so he sarcastically applauded in the official's direction. Rajon Rondo joined him, and both players were issued technical fouls for their obvious attempt to show up the referee.
For Cousins, this is a problem. If the league upholds the technical foul (they are occasionally rescinded), it would be a league-leading 16th for Cousins on the season, which comes with it an automatic one-game suspension.
"It's kind of unfortunate that it happened," Cousins said afterward, via ESPN. "I really don't know what to say about it. If I say something I'll get punished, and if I don't say something I'll get punished. I really don't know what the answer is anymore. I'm highly disappointed in what just happened."
The Kings are seven games out of the playoffs with only seven games left, so whether or not Cousins plays is meaningless in the grand scheme of things. But the league may uphold the suspension simply to send a message to a player who exhibits poor behavior like this on a fairly consistent basis.
