Sean Heath, Mavericks PA Announcer, Suspended For Criticizing Officials, Said NBA Has 'Reputation That The Games Are Rigged'

Sean Heath Suspended — Sean Heath, the Dallas Mavericks' PA announcer, will reportedly serve a two-game suspension for an April 1 Twitter rant in which he bashed league officials for missing a call in a crucial late-game situation. Reuters

The NBA has suspended Dallas Mavericks public-address announcer Sean Heath for two games after he criticized league officials in a series of tweets.

Heath posted the tweets in the aftermath of the Mavericks’ 122-120 overtime loss to the Golden State Warriors on April 1, ESPN reported. During the game, Warriors forward Jermaine O’Neal appeared to goaltend a shot by Monta Ellis; the shot would have given the Mavericks a late lead and, potentially, a victory.

The officials did not call a defensive goaltending violation, or goaltending, and the no-call secured a win for Golden State. After the game, Heath took to Twitter to criticize the game’s officials.

“[NBA official] Danny Crawford just blew a goaltending call and cost the Mavs a game. We will all be awaiting your apology. #pathetic,” Heath wrote. “[NBA]: The ONLY professional league in the US with the reputation that the games are rigged. Know why? Because of games like tonight. #shame”

Heath’s entire Twitter rant can be viewed below:

@nba Danny Crawford just blew a goaltending call and cost the Mavs a game. We will all be awaiting your apology. #pathetic
— Sean Heath (@theseanheath) April 2, 2014

@mdug @sribb43 @mdug Agreed. Maybe we should let the Warriors get their OWN stops without help from the officials.
— Sean Heath (@theseanheath) April 2, 2014

@EyeOnBasketball That headline should read: Danny Crawford buries Mavericks. Again.
— Sean Heath (@theseanheath) April 2, 2014

@nba If you have the technology to get calls right, we'd all LOVE to see it implemented as soon as possible. These. Games. Matter. #thefans
— Sean Heath (@theseanheath) April 2, 2014

@nba : The ONLY professional league in the US with the reputation that the games are rigged. Know why? Because of games like tonight. #shame
— Sean Heath (@theseanheath) April 2, 2014

The NBA league office later admitted that O’Neal’s block should have received a goaltending call and two additional points for the Mavericks. However, the league has a zero-tolerance policy regarding public criticism of its officials, so Heath will serve a two-game suspension beginning on Saturday night, when the Mavericks face the Phoenix Suns, ESPN reported.

Originally, the suspension was to begin on Thursday, but league officials agreed to postpone the punishment so the Mavericks would have time to find a replacement for Heath. The Mavericks PA announcer declined to comment on his suspension.

[h/t Deadspin]

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