Paul Pierce Video: Watch Boston Celtics Star's Puzzling Ejection from Game 1

There's a Paul Pierce video making its way across the sports world today, after the Boston Celtics star was sent off in incredibly controversial fashion after delivering a hard screen to the Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade during Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal clash. 

With seven minutes to go in the game and the Heat leading by 13 (but with Boston still very much in the game), Pierce sets a screen on Wade midway between the three point line and the basket.

The referee calls a foul on Wade, then immediately issues Pierce's second technical of the game (his first came for headbutting James Jones).

The only question that remains is: What in the name of Charles Barkley was the technical for?

I get that Pierce and Wade were jawing a bit, but it's not like basketball is an emotional sport, played by emotional people. It's not like this was a heated rivalry game between two teams not terribly fond of each other. 

Oh, wait—that's right, it was.

This is getting ridiculous. The NBA has been doing this for years; sucking the energy, passion and rivalry out of the game by immediately assessing technical fouls at the first dirty look sent between two players.

Let them jaw a little bit! It's not going to hurt anyone, I promise. If things devolve into a fight, then go in and break it up, but otherwise, do what every referee who's ever officiated a high school game does: grab one player, move him away and talk him down. 

Honestly, have NBA refs ever actually learned to interact with human beings? When they have fights with their significant others, do they actually argue and eventually reason things out or do they just try to eject them from the game? 

By tossing Pierce, who had scored his team's last seven points, the ref effectively ended Boston's rally. Maybe they would have come back, maybe they wouldn't.

But without Pierce on the floor, the Celtics never actually got the chance to find out. 

Way to go, sir. Way. To. Go.

I'll bet David Stern has some fines to levy when Doc Rivers and the Celtics are done with this one, but until he fixes the core problem (his terrible refs), the complaining won't stop.