Nic Claxtons Nets ejection gave Noah Clowney a chance to shine

As soon as Nic Claxton tossed the ball into the stands, he knew he was getting tossed from the game. “I’d seen [Kevin Durant] throw the ball in the stands a few years ago, and he got kicked out,” Claxton recalled.“So once it kind of settled in, I figured I was gonna get kicked out, yeah.” Claxton got ejected with 8:46 left in the first half of Thursday’s Nets win at Toronto.

He was on the fast break when Raptors big man Kelly Olynyk committed a take foul, and Claxton casually flipped the ball into the crowd. Referee Ben Taylor immediately ejected Claxton.While there was clearly no malice in the throw, the NBA has a zero-tolerance policy for throwing objects into the stands.

Claxton narrowly avoided worse discipline when he picked up a seat cushion and appeared ready to throw that but was quickly stopped by Brooklyn assistant coach Juwan Howard. “I just had a mental lapse and I just launched the ball in the crowd,” Claxton said.“And I can’t let my emotions get to that point.

I got to be there for my team.” Claxton — who inked a four-year, $97 million extension — has been ejected three times in just 21 games so far this season. With Claxton unavailable, Noah Clowney had 11 points and nine rebounds in 37 minutes.The boards and minutes were both season highs. “His growth defensively, his physicality — obviously its multiple areas — he’s been one of our best players at going vertical, taking a charge,” coach Jordi Fernandez said.

“His physicality on the ball guarding a really good player like Scottie Barnes, that growth was important.That’s why I was comfortable with him playing all those minutes. “He did a great job.

He stayed with it.And I love the way he played after he didn’t have a great performance, frustration in Cleveland.

And now he comes [back] and he does his job.I’m very happy for him because he showed growth.

That’s what it’s all about.” Ben Simmons enters Saturday’s game against the Jazz ...