For a team that’s consistently been fined for their “bench decorum,” the Mavericks don’t seem to mind flouting the NBA rules.
Dallas’ Theo Pinson, who is not on the postseason roster for the Mavericks, once again wore a white shirt to Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, matching the color of the Warriors jersey for the second consecutive game.
During the first quarter, TNT showed official Marc Davis talking with Pinson before Sunday’s game and asking him to change his shirt color. Davis even offered to buy Pinson a new shirt in order to get him to change, which Pinson said he would do if Davis purchased it.
This interaction between Marc Davis & Theo Pinson! pic.twitter.com/GDfulhPlOH
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 23, 2022
But Pinson is still in his white shirt during Game 3, bringing more attention to sideline activity of himself and his Dallas teammates, who have been standing at the end of the Mavericks bench area during games.
Earlier Sunday, the Mavericks were fined for a third time this postseason for violating the league’s bench decorum rules. The league hit Dallas with a $100,000 fine on Sunday, bringing the total for the postseason up to $175,000 across the three instances.
Pinson’s shirt was seemingly the cause of one issue in Game 2, when Steph Curry accidentally passed to Pinson, whose white sweatshirt appeared to have Curry thinking he was tossing the ball to a teammate.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he didn’t have a problem with the Dallas bench’s energy, and that bad pass to Pinson on the bench was the only instance in which its bench decorum became an issue.
“That’s the only time it was an issue, I really didn’t have any problem or I don’t have any problem. In fact, I really loved the energy their bench showed, I think it’s great,” Kerr said. “They’ve got great chemistry, great energy, they’ve had a phenomenal season and I think part of it is that they’re so connected and they’re pulling for each other. I love that part of it. But it can’t interfere with the game.”
It seems the NBA attempted to remedy the situation through their referee, Davis, before Game 3, but Pinson’s refusal to change shirts — and the Mavericks’ continued standing at their bench — will keep this storyline active for another few days.
And for those who want to predict the future, the Warriors have already announced they’ll wear blue for Tuesday’s Game 4. As Ian Fleming said in Goldfinger: “Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time, it’s enemy action.”
