Devin Booker ejected over foul Anthony Davis called a ‘dirty play’ (Video)

Devin Booker was ejected late in Game 3 of the Phoenix Suns’ loss to the Los Angeles Lakers for a hard foul on Dennis Schroder that Anthony Davis called “dirty.”

Game 3 was not a good night for Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns. After his Suns trailed for most of the night, put up only 12 points in the second quarter and headed toward a 2-1 series deficit late in the game Thursday night, Booker took out his frustration on Dennis Schroder with a hard foul in the final minute.

Booker would’ve fouled out anyway, as that was his sixth foul, but after the officials reviewed the play, he was hit with a Flagrant 2 foul and automatically ejected. Jae Crowder soon followed with a technical foul, and the Suns lost in a critical swing game, 109-95.

After the game, Anthony Davis was asked about Booker’s foul, and the Los Angeles Lakers star called it a “dirty play.”

Anthony Davis lobbies to the league over Devin Booker’s foul

Booker’s shove on Schroder in midair was definitely uncalled for, but there’s no question he sold it. Crowder was right there to cushion his fall, but that didn’t stop Schroder from rolling multiple times and exaggerating the force of the shove. It’s also ironic for Davis to be calling that play “dirty” after he kicked Crowder in the groin in Game 1 on a jump shot, doing his best Draymond Green impersonation.

In any case, this Suns-Lakers series has gotten extremely chippy, and there’s no question Booker should’ve been more composed with his final frustration foul, which could’ve been dangerous without Crowder there behind Schroder to break his fall. Book was harassed into a poor shooting night by the Lakers’ defense, going 6-for-19 from the floor and committing four turnovers.

The foul and free-throw discrepancy has been in LA’s favor so far in this first-round series, but it will be interesting to see if this kind of direct lobbying to the league office gives the Lakers an extra edge in a series they just took control over heading into Game 4 at home.