Was Karl-Anthony Towns frustrated? Of course. Did he think he might have been on the wrong side of a quick whistle? Yes, if you read between the lines.
But, after being tossed late in the first half of the Timberwolves' loss Friday at Utah after picking up two technical fouls in the final minute of the second quarter, Towns said he learned a lesson he will take forward.
"Regardless of the situation, regardless of how I feel — and a lot of people feel — it's about making sure I don't put myself in that position to even give him a chance [to make that call]," Towns said.
Both Towns and Jeff Teague were ejected in a very contentious loss to the Jazz.
Teague's ejection came with 5 minutes, 20 seconds left in the game when, perhaps frustrated at not getting a foul call on Ricky Rubio at the other end, the current Wolves point guard knocked the former Wolves point guard out of bounds.
Said Teague, "When it happened, I was disappointed I let my team down."
Teague said he didn't think he would be ejected on the play with Rubio. He felt he might get a flagrant 1 call.
"I was just trying to stop the play," Teague said. "I didn't think I hit him that hard. I think he put a little extra on it, but he made a good play for his team and I've got to be smarter in that situation."