LOS ANGELES LAKERS star LeBron James was slapped with a $15,000 (€13,253) fine for an “obscene gesture” and warned for swearing during a news conference by the NBA’s disciplinary officials on Friday.
“LeBron James has been fined $15,000 for making an obscene gesture on the playing court and warned for using profane language during media availability,” said league spokesman Byron Spruell in a news release.
This is the second time this week that the league has disciplined James for an on-court incident.
James was hit with a one-game suspension for a bloody altercation with Detroit Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart in a game last Sunday. It was the first suspension of James’s career.
The ban meant James missed the Lakers’ 106-100 loss to the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
He returned Wednesday to face the Indianapolis Pacers and scored 39 points in a 124-116 overtime win. Late in the fourth quarter, James drew the ire of league officials for making an obscene gesture after sinking a three-point basket that extended the Lakers lead to six points.
James slammed the one-game suspension after the Pacers game, describing the punishment to reporters as “some bull****.”
The NBA issued a warning Friday to James against “using profane language during media availability.”
James also had a pair of fans ejected from the Pacers game in overtime, after they heckled him from their courtside seats.
Last night, his 30 points counted for little as the Lakers were beaten 141-137 by the Sacramento Kings after a triple overtime.
Led by De’Aaron Fox’s 34 points, Sacramento prevailed in the third overtime period, shaking off a Russell Westbrook triple-double.
Elsewhere overnight, the Phoenix Suns cruised past the New York Knicks 118-97 to extend their winning streak in the NBA to 15 games.
The Suns led for the entirety of the final three quarters at Madison Square Garden, with Chris Paul brilliantly orchestrating the potent Suns offence.
Paul finished with 14 points to go along with 10 assists, while Devin Booker top-scored with 32.
Steph Curry continued his early push for MVP as he guided the Golden State Warriors to a 118-103 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Anfernee Simons threatened to spark a late run for Portland, but back-to-back clutch threes from Curry ensured the Warriors would go on to secure their 17th win of the season and remain ahead of Phoenix in the Western Conference.
Curry shot six threes in a 32-point effort, while Damian Lillard was held to just 16.
Meanwhile, Devonte Graham drained a three in the dying seconds as the New Orleans Pelicans upset the Utah Jazz 98-97 while the Atlanta Hawks thrashed the Memphis Grizzlies 132-100 to record a seventh straight win.
The Chicago Bulls kept the pressure on at the top of the Eastern Conference by brushing aside the Orlando Magic 123-88, as did the Washington Wizards – 101-99 winners against the Oklahoma City Thunder – and the Charlotte Hornets, who beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 133-115.
Reigning champions the Milwaukee Bucks recorded a sixth straight win, 120-109 against the slumping Denver Nuggets, while the San Antonio Spurs beat the Boston Celtics 96-88 and the Indiana Pacers saw off the Toronto Raptors 114-97.
- Reporting from © – AFP, 2021 and Press Association.
