Kings' DeMar DeRozan blasts 'terrible as s**t' refs after heartbreaking loss to Nuggets

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DeMar DeRozan and the Sacramento Kings lost 116-110 to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night, a loss that stings for a multitude of reasons. Aside from snapping their four-game win streak and the loss impacting their chances of making the playoffs in the Western Conference, the Kings felt like they were given an unfair whistle from the officials.

In this loss, the Kings were called for 20 personal fouls compared to 14 fouls for the Nuggets, and Denver shot 16 more free throws than Sacramento. In the final quarter of play, the Kings were called for seven total fouls.

DeRozan took exception to these calls and did not hold back in his comments to the referees after the game, actions that will likely result in him receiving an envelope from the league office within the next 24 hours.

“The refs were terrible. Terrible as s**t. It's as simple as that,” DeRozan told reporters after the game, via Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. “There were multiple (calls missed). Check the free-throw difference. There was a bunch of times we got hit, got smacked. It was three, four shots I took, clearly got hit, got smacked. They get the same call on the other end. Throws off our whole rhythm. Gives them momentum at home. Makes it tough on us to execute.

“It was a game we should have had.”

The 35-year-old veteran was once again the Kings’ leading scorer with 35 points against the Nuggets, marking the 20th time this season that he has led Sacramento in scoring. DeRozan has scored at least 20 points in each of the Kings’ last three games.

Sacramento was without starting guard Malik Monk in this game due to a toe injury. Domantas Sabonis also did not play in this game, missing his second straight game due to a hamstring injury.

Interim head coach Doug Christie also cited the free-throw discrepancy between the two teams playing a major factor as to how this game ended, but he also made it clear that the Kings were “discombobulated” on offense throughout the fourth quarter. He also pointed to the Nuggets getting a favorable whistle in terms of fouls being called their way.

“In the second half, four (against) 15,” Christie pointed out. “Free-throw discrepancy … This one's going to hurt. But this is our league, and we got to deal with it."

Doug Christie defends DeMar DeRozan’s officiating comments

Ahead of the fourth quarter in Denver on Wednesday, the Kings held a 65-55 lead and extended this to as many as 14 points. This would’ve been a huge victory for the Kings considering where they are in the standings and seeking to move out of the play-in tournament region.

Ultimately, frustrations over foul calls caught up to Sacramento and resulted in unforced mental errors late in the game.

The Kings’ struggles late in the game were not only due to frustrations mounting over missed shots, but because DeRozan and others were so focused on the calls being made by the officials. Although he stands by his players, specifically DeRozan, Christie acknowledged after the game that his team needs to let him do the talking so they can remain locked in on the game.

“My job is to deal with the refs, and their job is to hoop,” Christie stated. “And that’s what I expect out of them, and they know this. So when they start talking to the refs and barking at the refs, like, yo, chill that out. We don’t do that. We’re here to hoop. Let me deal with [the refs], and I will state our case and live to fight another day.

“I want their minds focused on the game plan. For the most part, we did that. There was a little bit where we got discombobulated, but in a high-leverage situation, it’s to be expected.”

This was a significant loss for the Kings because of what a win would’ve meant. Due to the LA Clippers picking up a much-needed win over the Detroit Pistons, Sacramento is alone as the West’s 9-seed with 21 games remaining on their schedule. A win would have kept the Kings even with the Clippers for the 8-seed and just one full game back from the Golden State Warriors for the 6-seed in the conference.

The Kings are now 32-29 following their loss in Denver and will have three huge matchups against the Clippers, New York Knicks, and Golden State Warriors following their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.

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