SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Chicago center Robin Lopez was ejected after being hit with back-to-back technical fouls during the second quarter of the Bulls’ game in Sacramento, tossing a chair once he finally left the court.
Lopez exchanged words with referee Justin Van Duyne with 4:21 remaining before halftime Monday after getting called for fouling Willie Cauley-Stein. Lopez, who appeared to still be seething over not getting a call on the offensive end 30 seconds earlier, was quickly hit with the first technical as he walked toward midcourt.
The 7-footer stormed back toward Van Duyne and had to be held back by teammates after being called for a second technical. Lopez then reluctantly left the court and grabbed a chair in the tunnel leading to the Bulls locker room and tossed it.
Chicago was already playing without Lauri Markkanen, who missed his third straight game due to the birth of his child. Markkanen was scheduled to join the Bulls in Sacramento but his flight was canceled due to weather in Chicago.