NEW YORK — Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams has been fined $15,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans, the NBA announced Tuesday.
Williams made his comments to the media following the Suns' 118-103 road loss Sunday. He said he did not want to take away from the Pelicans' effort, but he was upset by the disparity in foul shots.
"Forty-two to 15 in free throws — slice it any way you like to, in a playoff game that's physical, that's amazing,'' Williams said. "Coaches shouldn't have to come up to the microphone and feel like they're going to get their head cut off for speaking the truth. It's not like we didn't attack the basket. That's really hard to do. They outplayed us and they deserved to win, but that's a free-throw disparity.''
It's the third $15,000 fine assessed in the past two days by the NBA for reactions to a disparity in free throws favouring the home team. Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins and Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid were fined Monday, the latter for accusing officials of ensuring his team's series with the Toronto Raptors would go to five games.
Also on Tuesday, Nuggets centre DeMarcus Cousins was fined $15,000 for kicking towels into the stands during Game 4 of Denver's first-round playoff series against Golden State.
The incident occurred when Cousins returned to the bench after getting called for a personal foul with 7:27 remaining in the second quarter of the Nuggets’ 126-121 home victory on Sunday.
Cousins finished with 10 points. Denver avoided a sweep with the win. Game 5 is Wednesday night.
