Technical fouls piling up for Suns’ Alvin Gentry, Jermaine O’Neal

Through 28 games, the 11-17 Phoenix Suns don’t have too many players leading the league in any statistical category.

Well, except for one.

In Sunday night’s 102-77 loss to the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers, Jermaine O’Neal picked up his league-leading eighth technical foul. For most coaches, this would be a cause for concern, after all the 17-year veteran is already halfway to a one-game suspension. But Alvin Gentry isn’t exactly in a position to lecture O’Neal.

Late in the first half of Sunday’s game against Los Angeles, Alvin Gentry was unhappy with official Rodney Mott’s decision not to blow his whistle on what looked to be a clear-cut foul on Phoenix guard Goran Dragic.

Gentry’s argument with Mott eventually ended in his first ejection of the season and put him second on the technical foul list among NBA coaches with five in 2012-13. He trails only New York Knicks head coach Mike Woodson, who has six on the year.

While it’s encouraging to see how passionate O’Neal and Gentry are even in the face of a losing record, extra free throw opportunities for opposing teams can be deadly for the Suns, especially since nine of their games this season have already been decided by five points or less.

As a team, the Suns currently lead the league with 24 technical fouls.