Kelly Oubre Jr. apologizes for tirade toward officials after loss to Clippers

Kelly Oubre Jr. apologizes for his tirade toward the officials after a tough loss for the Philadelphia 76ers to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Editor’s note: Please be advised an embedded clip below contains language that some might consider offensive!

PHILADELPHIA — Tempers flared for the Philadelphia 76ers at the end of a 108-107 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Sixers had a number of execution issues down the stretch that allowed the Clippers to rally and steal one on the road.

With the Sixers leading, 104-102, a call against the Clippers was challenged by Los Angeles coach Ty Lue and was overturned. Kawhi Leonard then cut to the basket and finished an and-1 off a questionable Tobias Harris foul.

Buddy Hield then made a 3 before Oubre fouled Leonard on another layup. After a jump ball, Oubre drove to the basket with time expiring, and took a lot of contact. No call was made, and Oubre and coach Nick Nurse immediately went after the officials on the floor. The officials later admitted the mistake,

Oubre went after each of the three officials during a lengthy tirade that including him pointing and shouting obscenities. Afterward, he apologized for the tirade.

“Well, first and foremost, heat of the moment,” Oubre said afterward. “This is an intense basketball game, of course, and we’re not perfect. The refs aren’t perfect. I want to apologize for just losing my cool because that’s something I try to work on each and every day and try to represent God in the best way I possibly can and that wasn’t it. I just asked for forgiveness.”

Oubre was going hard for his team and he deserves credit for that. He has been a terrific piece for the Sixers since being acquired and he has been so helpful for Philadelphia all season long.

“I saw coach Nurse getting riled up and if our coach is gonna fight for us, and he’s going there, then I’m right behind him, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t cool,” he added. “So I’ll take whatever penalties come with that and I do — we have to move on, but I gotta be better in the sense.”

The Sixers head back out on the road to face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

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