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Is it taunting when yoiu pass it through an opponent's legs? no. laughable. A bit of a showboat move, but it should be a no-call.
Ref probably scarred for life from this move earlier in his life. Vowed to never let anyone ever get scarred like he did. Valiant effort by the ref.
How can you taunt with the game still in play? What about all those unnecessary crossover dribbles that are show? Is that taunting?
Might as well consider breaking someone's ankle and then looking at them taunting. Making 3s and doing any signs afterwards. Muscle flexing on and1 plays.
The refs allow a limited amount of taunting as long as its not directed at a player. Remember how Dikembe Mutombo could shake his finger at the crowd but not at a particular player? Looking, making signs as you run downcourt, and flexing.....none of those are taunts directed at a particular player. Jordan used a similar ball-fake while in a shooting motion to get a recovering defender to jump. Stephenson was 30 feet from the basket, hadn't dribbled, and was being closely guarded. I have no problem with a technical being called on Stephenson.
Looked more like a feint than a taunt to me. But, that might have been the last of several little taunts during the game that the ref felt he needed to put a lid on; can't tell just from a clip. But, by itself, it looks like a feint - puts defender off-balance before a drive, potentially.
Much as I dislike Kobe, I give him credit for showing up that douchebag Barnes there. Also, I understand the technical given to Stephenson - I think it's weak - but I understand it in the culture of today's NBA. HOWEVER, would a star player on a glamor team have gotten that T if he had done it? I don't know. And that's still the problem with the NBA and people's perception of it.