Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler and Indiana Pacers forward T.J. Warren have been fined $35,000 and $25,000 respectively for their altercation earlier this week, the NBA announced Friday.
The spat began during the third quarter of the Heat’s eventual 122-108 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday, when both players came face-to-face and received technical fouls. The two needed to be separated, and they each continued barking at each other as they were pulled back towards their individual benches.
The following possession, Butler committed an offensive foul by pushing his elbow into Warren’s midsection, causing the latter player to taunt the former by clapping vigorously at him. Warren immediately received a second technical and was ejected from the game, with Butler turning to blow him a kiss as he left the floor.
Warren responded by staring directly at Butler and making an obscene hand gesture.
Following the game, Butler continued to escalate the dispute by delivering an aggressive diatribe to reporters and then posting a photo of his team’s schedule to Instagram with the next game against Indiana circled in red.
The Heat will face the Pacers again on March 20 in Indiana.
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