Utah Jazz: Jerry Sloan defends late technical

PHOENIX — Ejected from Friday's loss at Phoenix after making contact in the game's final second with referee Michael Smith, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said he was merely trying to defend himself.

"I put my arm up to keep him from coming any farther," said Sloan, whose forearm met Smith's chest. "I've had trouble with him before. So that's why I did that."

Sloan first tried to approach the referees while they were reviewing a hard last-second Grant Hill foul that floored Jazz backup point Ronnie Price, who appeared to try for a meaningless dunk as the 110-100 loss came to a close.

Security stopped him because coaches and players aren't allowed to be near the refs during video reviews, but the two met after the review had concluded.

Sloan said he wasn't complaining about the Hill-Price play, though.

"No, I was making a case about (Suns center Amar'e) Stoudemire being in front of our bench," the Jazz coach said. "When an altercation or something comes up, and their player comes down in front of our bench — he wasn't supposed to be there.

"That's what my complaint was about. Security let him come all the way down in front our bench there, so I just said that he didn't belong there."

Sloan suggested he wasn't worried about how the incident looked.

"How do I worry about it? I'm worried about getting hit," he said. "That's what I was worried about, so take it from there."

Sloan, facing a possible fine and or suspension from the NBA, was suspended seven games without pay in 2003 for making contact with ref Courtney Kirkland in Sacramento.

He suggested he won't avoid NBA investigators asking about this incident.

"I'm not gonna lie to them," he said. "Whatever penalties they have, I'm not gonna run and hide from it or beg for somebody to ... I've been there before. It's not my first rodeo."

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