Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young wasn’t happy with the “one-sided” officiating in Atlanta’s 114-108 loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night.
Young, who was assessed a technical foul early in the fourth quarter, explained that he was frustrated with the referees because they “take s–t personal” and it showed in their officiating at State Farm Arena.
“They shot 10 more free throws than us,” Young, 26, said in his post game press conference, referring to Orlando’s 38 free throw attempts to Atlanta’s 28. “And I mean, I feel like if you asked anybody around the league, you would know that they’re probably a more physical team that we are, and the way we drove.
“I mean, even some of the guys are laughing when they weren’t calling fouls for me when we would go on the other end.
“So it’s frustrating. I know a few of those refs have been known for throwing people out throughout the year and things like that… It’s personal for some of these refs… You just wish that you can get some refs that just don’t take things personal and understand that people grow.
“I’m not 19 anymore. I can communicate with these people, and I have with a lot of the refs. And I feel like the refs have been responsive for the most part. But then you get a few, a handful that, like we get tonight, that just take s–t personal and you can see it by the way they make their calls.”
Young, who finished with 38 points and five assists, was called for a technical foul with less than 11 minutes in the fourth quarter.
The Hawks were whistled for three technical fouls, including Young’s; the Magic were assessed one.
Both teams are fighting for playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference.
As of Friday, Orlando (28-29) is right outside the playoff picture in the seventh spot, which qualifies for a spot in the play-in tournament.
Atlanta (26-30) is in the ninth spot in the east, also a play-in qualifier.
The top six teams in each conference will make the playoffs, while the teams finishing seven through 10 will compete in the play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff seeds.
