#NBA: Rajon Rondo is Ejected After Altercation with Referee [Video]

As if the loss of Ray Allen (sore ankle) isn’t enough, during the last seconds of tonight’s Game 1 against the Atlanta Hawks, Rajon Rondo was ejected for arguing a call with a referee and then appeared to bump him.

Rondo on ejection:

“I deserve the first technical[...] I didn’t intentionally chest-bump him, but that’s what it appears to be. It’s out of my control.”

According to NBA policy, ejections are reviewed after the game and since Rondo made contact with an official, he’ll most likely be fined and may face a suspension.

The NBA rulebook states:

“Any player or coach guilty of intentional physical contact with an official shall automatically be suspended without pay for one game. A fine and/or longer period of suspension will result if circumstances so dictate.”

Celtics‘ coach Doc Rivers said in a post-conference that he does not believe Rondo deserves a game suspension.

“I thought Rondo was walking toward Marc, and Marc turned back toward him, and that’s when Rondo bumped him. … That’s all it was, in my opinion. But we’ll see.”

Rondo had a team-high of 20 pts, 10-18 shooting and a game-high of 11 assists and four steals.

The Celtics fell short to the Atlanta Hawks, 74-81.

Keila Rose