ATLANTA — Nic Claxton didn’t make it to the end of the Nets’ season-opening 120-116 loss to the Hawks, ejected for a flagrant foul in the game-deciding run.
The Nets’ starting center — who was on a minutes restriction and came off the bench after missing the entire preseason with a hamstring injury — was called for a Flagrant 2 and tossed after clotheslining Dyson Daniels as the Hawk went in for a layup.
“Yeah, I gave up an and-one a couple possessions earlier and it was just a little bit too much on the flagrant,” admitted Claxton, who was tracking back after the Nets had turned the ball over.
Claxton didn’t go for the ball and swiped Daniels’ arm, sending him tumbling.
The Atlanta guard got up and went after Claxton.
“There was unnecessary and excessive contact by Claxton,” crew chief David Guthrie said via pool reporter Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “There is wind-up, hard impact and follow through to a vulnerable air-born player and also a potential for injury. This also led to an altercation as well, so per rule, this meets the criteria for a Flagrant 2 and ejection.”
That was part of a 12-3 run that turned a one-point Nets deficit into a hole too big to climb out of.
“Yeah, that was clearly a foul,” new Nets coach Jordi Fernandez admitted. “We don’t want to see anybody getting hurt. I’m pretty sure he didn’t mean to. But yeah, our technique has to be better. Our purpose, like I said, lead with your chest and show your hands. But again, the league does a great job with judgment and training their officials, and they will do so because it needs to be done for a game like [this], for sure.”
This wasn’t a first for Claxton, who is going to be a part of the Nets’ core going forward in this rebuild.
He was ejected in the 2022-23 playoffs, and last season had another ejection, a disqualification, three flagrants and 10 technicals.
It’s an issue he will need to sort.
“Just having more situational awareness. Maybe I need to talk to a therapist or something,” Claxton said with a laugh. “I can’t get kicked out of games. Whatever I do, I can’t get kicked out of games. I need to be there for my team. And I know I was on a restriction, but I still need to be there for my team.”
Wednesday’s opener marked Ben Simmons’ first regular season action since Feb. 26.
He had six points, eight assists and five rebounds — but wore down in a second half in which he went scoreless with three assists and four turnovers.
“They definitely turned the physicality up. And that’s on me to stay with it and keep attacking,” Simmons said.