by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

DeMarcus Cousins avoids trouble off the court. He can’t escape it between the lines.

The Sacramento Kings center was ejected at halftime Monday night during a 98-91 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz. He approached referee Tre Maddox and proceeded to get in his ear about something, then was ejected by referee Scott Foster after apparently crossing some sort of line.

The ejection came because it was Cousins’ second technical foul of the game, his first coming with 2 minutes, 23 seconds to go before the half.

“Cousins said he told the ref not to act like a ‘bleeping female’ to get his second tech,” Sacramento Bee beat reporter Jason Jones tweeted, later clarifying the tweet was the censored, family-friendly version.

Cousins is a whirlwind of problems and talent. He has been suspended three times and picked up 12 technical fouls this season. But he also entered Monday averaging 17.4 points and 10.1 rebounds a game as one of the most talented post players in the NBA.

This blowup was particularly inexplicable. Both teams had retreated to their locker rooms, but Cousins felt the need to say something. Maddox seemed to ignore him, though he made the decision to walk over to the other referees.

Cousins has to know that his reputation precedes him. He has less leeway with officials than any player other than Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace.

He finished the game with 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 19 minutes. The Kings played well without him initially, going from down one at halftime to up four entering the fourth quarter. But the team isn’t very good, and that’s particularly true without its best player.

In the overtime period, the Kings shot 3-for-8 and totaled seven points, half of the Jazz’s 14.

The game was on NBATV, a rare opportunity for Cousins to play for a national audience. And he squandered it.

… [For more on DeMarcus Cousins of Kings ejected for antagonizing refs, click here.]