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LA Clippers star Kawhi Leonard was at the receiving end of a rather harsh call from an official during Tuesday (March 21) night's 101-100 loss against the OKC Thunder. With Clippers guard Terance Mann also getting caught in the mix, NBA fans were in splits while reacting to the situation.
The LA Clippers' game against the OKC Thunder was full of excitement. Fans were constantly on the edge of their seats, as they saw everything from highlight plays to unfortunate accidents.
The game also featured a rather shocking occurrence midway through the second quarter. With the Clippers leading by a narrow margin, Kawhi Leonard scored a crucial layup to extend his team's lead to four points. However, Leonard thought that he deserved a foul call in the process.
Leonard has a reputation for being a rather composed and stoic figure on the floor. However, the rigorous battle brought out a rather animated response from the forward regarding the missed call. That didn't sit well with the referee.
Leonard was immediately charged with a rare technical foul. At this juncture, the situation slipped out of hand, as Clippers guard Terance Mann arrived to argue with the referee. With things escalating, the official handed Mann two techs on the spot and sent him packing.
The shocking series of events saw the Clippers lose a key rotational piece to some rather questionable officiating. Fans at home couldn't resist sharing their reactions to the situation. One wrote:
"Kawhi showing emotion??"
Here are some of the best reactions on Twitter:
Terance Mann's departure had some impact on the Clippers' performance. However, given how neck-and-neck things were for the rest of the game, Mann's exit gave LA a chance to come out on top.
Kawhi Leonard endures tough night against OKC
The OKC Thunder have had the LA Clippers' number all season. With three wins in their season series thus far, the Thunder have dominated against the Clippers. In this regard, Tuesday night's game placed an emphasis on the Clippers, whose superstar Kawhi Leonard struggled to get going.
Leonard notched up 21 points, six rebounds and five assists on the night in 38 minutes of playing time. While his shooting splits of 7-16 from the field and 2-5 from 3-point land were fairly sold, he fell far short of expectations.
He made a crucial jumper to tie the game at 93-93 with four minutes left in the fourth. However, beyond this point, the Clippers superstar didn't attempt a single shot and was responsible for some costly turnovers too.
The loss will certainly haunt the Clippers at this stage of the season. Additionally, with Paul George leaving the game due to injury, LA have genuine reason to be worried.
