All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is slowly accepting his reality that no matter what he does, NBA officials are always going to keep close tabs on him due to his history of picking up technical fouls.
That was never more apparent than on Monday night when his Sacramento Kings faced the Los Angeles Lakers, and he was assessed his league-leading ninth technical after jawing back and forth with Lakers assistant Brian Shaw.
"I don’t understand what he saw," Cousins said of the referee's call, according to CSN Bay Area's James Ham. "B-Shaw and me talk trash since I’ve came into this league. Friendly trash talk, he (McCutchen) didn’t like the curse words me and B-Shaw said so he gave us techs.
"It is what it is. I’ll talk to the league. We’ll see what happens, but I can guarantee this, it won’t be the last."
One-third of his technical fouls have been of the double-tech variety, although Boogie was never close to putting his dukes up in any of those scenarios.
Frankly, most of his ire in years past has been directed at the officials themselves, which helps explain why he's developed such a negative reputation with them. At this point, Cousins feels he can't do much without receiving a tech.
"I’ve gotten a tech for getting fouled and accidentally hitting ... I don’t know what to do anymore," he added. "It’s been awhile since I’ve just went up to a ref and cursed him out. So I really don’t know what to do.
"I see how some guys talk to the refs and it’s okay, and then there’s me. And then there’s me. Like I said, it just depends on their mood."
The NBA maximum for technical fouls is 16. Once that limit is reached, a player receives a one-game suspension, and an additional suspension for every technical from that point on. Cousins finished with 17 in 2015-16, and 14 the season prior.
