Wisconsin Herd coach Chase Buford has been suspended two games without pay following his rant at officials after the Herd's 126-117 loss to the Grand Rapids Drive on Sunday.
The Herd, the NBA G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, had just blown a big fourth-quarter lead, and Buford was not happy with the officiating down the stretch.
"That was as unprofessional as an officiating performance ... I hope you tweet this out and tag the league, because that was embarrassing. [Referee] Matt Rafferty is a f---ing clown," Buford said. "That being said, we have to be so much better at the end of games. We can't blow a 21-point lead with 12 minutes to go.
"However bad and biased and unfair and illegal and cheating the referees are, we have to be better closing games. So that's the way I feel."
Buford, 31, apologized for the tirade later that evening, saying in a statement that "it was unprofessional and I'm embarrassed."
"It's a tough learning experience as a first-year head coach and I am truly sorry, and will grow from this," the statement read.
The G League said Buford had specifically been suspended for a "direct and extended public attack on the integrity and credibility of the game officials." He will begin serving that suspension on Tuesday when the Herd host the Delaware Blue Coats.
Like their NBA affiliate, the Herd are owners of the best record in their league, at 28-9 heading into Monday's games.
