22/05/2026
He Slammed a Player by the Neck – Why the Ref Didn’t Eject Him Will Blow Your Mind
In Game 6 of the Pistons-Cavs series, Ausar Thompson sent Sam Merrill to the floor with a hand around his neck. The crowd was screaming for an ejection, but the refs only gave a flagrant 1. Why? Because one key element was missing: the windup. Without it, the league rules say it's not excessive enough to toss him. But here's the twist—Merrill himself didn't even feel it was that bad. The truth behind the call might change how you see NBA physicality.
Had to see this play for myself after hearing about it—wild how the rules work. Full breakdown's here if you're curious: https://geni.us/wwwABCnews-com