We wanted to win. You know what I mean? We’ve been losing. – Jazz center Enes Kanter
SALT LAKE CITY — The most memorable moment from the Utah Jazz’s game against the Sacramento Kings will cost Enes Kanter a hefty chunk of change.
In the second half of the Jazz’s 101-92 loss at Sleep Train Arena, Kanter was frustrated about being called for traveling when he slammed the ball on the court, stormed toward the Jazz bench, and threw his mouthpiece into the stands.
A Kings fan about five rows behind the Utah players caught Kanter’s airborne mouth guard and held it up like he’d just hauled in a prized possession.
That added some humor to the incident.
On the other hand, Kanter was not laughing about getting a technical and certainly not for being fined $25,000 by the NBA on Tuesday afternoon.
Kanter issued a two-part apology on Twitter:
“1) I sincerely apologies 1st from Sacramento fans and the @NBA for last night's incident,” he wrote.
“2) Never intend or aim to throw anyone it was just out of frustration and fully take responsibility and never occur again.”
The 22-year-old Kanter also addressed his brief temper tantrum to Utah reporters after Utah lost for the ninth-consecutive time on Monday night.
"At least the guy caught it,” Kanter said, cracking a slight grin. “He's not going to sue me, I hope."
The man who caught Kanter's mouthpiece and held it up with his bare hand to an amused (and somewhat grossed-out) crowd said it wasn’t a big deal. He thought it was funny.
The fan didn't get anything in return, either, after a team attendant, who was wearing gloves, took the protective gear from him.
"It was the intensity, man” Kanter said, further explaining his frustration. “We wanted to win. You know what I mean? We’ve been losing."
Kanter admitted the weight of the 5-16 Jazz's losing streak is weighing "really heavy" on his shoulders. But he also admitted he was upset about something that he didn't want to elaborate on.
"We just have to get a win," Kanter said. "We just cannot get used to losing, you know what I mean? We just have to break that bad luck, or whatever it is, and get a win."
Kanter was the recipient of much trash-talking by Kings fans after he threw his mouthpiece into the stands. When he fouled out late in the fourth quarter, a group of fans near the Jazz bench chanted, "Kanter sucks!"
The Jazz center looked over at the fans and blew them a kiss.
It remains to be seen if the Kings will throw out mouthpieces instead of mini-balls when the Jazz visit again in April.
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