Trae Young put a little too much heat on what became his final pass of the night.
The Hawks star was ejected from the team’s 143-130 win over the Pacers on Saturday midway through the third quarter after firing the ball toward referee Scott Wall.
Young was called for an offensive foul while taking a deep 3-pointer from the logo.
The 24-year-old made the shot, but was soon whistled for sticking out his leg and kicking Indiana guard Aaron Nesmith after he released the ball.
The NBA has cracked down on unnatural shooting motions with new rules this season, and Young had been one of the main culprits in trying to take advantage of the previous legislation and earn extra free throws.
After Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton drilled a 3-pointer on the other end to tie the game at 84, the Hawks called a timeout and Young’s meltdown ensued.
A livid Young slammed the ball down with his fist before he hurled the ball at Wall.
Young threw the ball with two hands like a chest pass, and although Wall caught the pass (which was not captured on the broadcast), it was seemingly hurled much too hard for the referee’s liking.
The two-time All-Star was promptly assessed a technical foul and ejected from the game.
After Wall issued the technical foul, Young turned around in confusion and threw his hands in the air while walking back to the bench.
“It’s just a play he can’t make,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder told reporters after the game. “I told him that. He knows it.
“There wasn’t a single part of him that tried to rationalize what happened.”
Young — who made himself a Knicks villain when he torched them in the first round of the playoffs two years ago — did not speak to the media after the game, but took to Twitter to praise his team rallying to win.
“Good guys win,” Young tweeted accompanied by a blushing emoji. “We move!”
The technical foul was Young’s 15th of the season, meaning he will receive an automatic one-game suspension if he earns another one.
Young had 14 points and five assists before being ejected.
The Hawks (37-37) entered Sunday in eighth place in the East, three games behind the Nets for the final playoff spot above the play-in field.
