Justin Tatum has claimed NBL referees treat him more harshly than his coaching rivals after he was hit with a technical foul during a chaotic finish to Illawarra's loss to Melbourne United.

Hawks coach Tatum admitted telling a referee he made a "bleeping terrible call" when Will Hickey was called for a contentious foul on Chris Goulding in the decisive final minute on Thursday night.

But the 45-year-old American denied disrespecting the officials as tension boiled over on the sidelines before Melbourne hung on for a tense 92-87 win at the WIN Entertainment Centre.

Tatum, the father of NBA star Jayson Tatum, was asked in his post-game press conference whether other NBL coaches should expect to cop technical fouls for similar behaviour.

"One hundred per cent, but it's only going to be me," Tatum said.

"I'm intimidating, I guess my voice is too deep and I'm too tall and my skin colour's different or whatever it is.

"It's me, you know, because I hear the same coaches say similar things or complain about the same stuff and their leash is a little bit longer.

"But I guess I have to be made an example out of."

Tatum claimed "incompetent" referees had dictated the game in the second half as ladder leaders Illawarra (5-2) fell to their second defeat of the season.

He also lashed Goulding for "flopping" when the Melbourne veteran fell to the floor after minimal contact from Hickey.

"It was right in front of my face," Tatum said.

"We're just happy that Chris Goulding didn't hurt himself flopping in front of us.

"I'm glad that he's injury-free, but at the end of the day the officials at that time unfortunately just made a bad decision, a bad call."

Melbourne led 87-84 at the time, with 22.1 seconds left on the clock.

Bizarrely, the Hickey-Goulding play was wiped off because the game clock did not start running when the ball was in-bounded.

Tatum was handed his technical foul moments later while Hickey and Goulding were involved in a heated discussion on the court.

"Emotions were going high at that time because everyone in the gym thought it was a call at that time — even myself," Tatum said.

"Once they took the time to know the clock wasn't going, emotions digressed because we thought that we had a chance [to win].

"We were down three, but unfortunately we have another official who decides they want to give somebody a technical foul on emotions of the call.

"He wasn't disrespected as an official, but then comes back a minute or two later and gives it to us, not right then and there."

Tatum's post-game comments will attract attention from NBL officials, who could take further action against the coach.

AAP