It didn't take long for Facundo Campazzo to find his niche with the Denver Nuggets, breaking into the NBA at 29 years old last season and finding various opportunities to contribute in big ways, even starting in 19 games down the stretch and nine more throughout the playoffs. And though he's been almost solely a bench player this season, there are a lot of ways in which he's displayed his acclimation to the NBA after a long international career.
But on Tuesday night, it was not his play but his Argentine background that was the focus of the Golden State Warriors broadcast, and the subsequent social media reaction from disappointed fans didn't take long to develop. After Campazzo argued with the referees that they shouldn't have called a foul, the commentators said that Argentina's most popular sport is soccer and that his behavior was similar to soccer players while arguing whistles.
"How could you call this?" the commentator said while using a mock accent. "I was wronged!"
The broadcasting team also drew criticism for seemingly asserting that Austin Rivers earned a sizable contract extension with the Clippers because his father, Doc Rivers, was the coach (h/t Complex).
All in all, it was a broadcast that drew a lot of criticism from fans for various reasons, with the above two examples serving as the main points of contention from fans. Among those who commented was Callie Rivers Curry, the wife of Seth Curry and sister of Austin Rivers.
Warriors announcers claiming Jokic foul baits like Harden. I'm sick.
— Hoops Banter (@NorthernGalaxy3) December 29, 2021
The Nuggets wound up beating the Warriors in a low-scoring affair, 89-86, with the aforementioned Campazzo hitting a free throw with two seconds remaining that forced Golden State to heave a tough shot from beyond the arc as time expired, ultimately putting a close on the matchup.
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