Spurs assistant Becky Hammon defends Chris Paul over ref comment

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon defended Chris Paul on Twitter on Friday for comments the Los Angeles Clippers guard made about a female referee.

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon backed Chris Paul on Twitter on Friday for comments the Los Angeles Clippers guard made about a female referee.

Following Thursday night's Clippers game, Paul was critical of referee Lauren Holtkamp after both he and DeAndre Jordan received technical fouls from her during Thursday's game. 

Paul called Holtkamp's technical on him "terrible" and said if she calls it that way, "this might not be for her." 

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Hammon, who in August became the first female hired as an NBA assistant coach, said she doesn't believe Paul's comment was a reference to Holtkamp's gender. 

Chris Paul @CP3 is a competitor & he had an opinion, I don't think it had anything to do with the refs gender.

— Becky Hammon (@BeckyHammon) February 6, 2015

On Friday, Lee Seeham, general counsel for the National Basketball Referees Association, addressed Paul's comments. 

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, Seeham said Holtkamp's calls were "justified" and that "she belongs."

- Molly Geary