NBA roundup: Pacers’ George fined $25,000

Indiana Pacers forward Paul George was fined $25,000 for his comments about the officials after a 102-90 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals in AmericanAirlines Arena.

NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn announced the penalty on Tuesday afternoon after George questioned the number of fouls called against the Pacers in Game 4 and suggested it was one of the reasons his team lost.

The Heat, which has a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, shot 34 free throws to the Pacers’ 17. Indiana was called for 27 fouls and Miami for 17.

“You can’t tell me we don’t attack the basket as much as they attack the basket,” George said after the game. “You can’t tell me we’re not aggressive. Maybe we’re too aggressive. We’re just as aggressive as they are attacking the basket and making plays at the rim. Maybe this was just home cooking.”

—Miami Heat reserves Ray Allen and Chris “Birdman” Andersen are questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals because of injuries.

Allen suffered a bruised hip and thigh while running through a screen in the second half of the Heat’s 102-90 win in Game 4 on Monday night in Miami. Andersen is dealing with a bruised thigh sustained in a collision with Heat guard Dwyane in Game 3 on Saturday.

Both received extensive treatment for their injuries. Andersen did not play Monday night. Both were expected to travel to Indianapolis for Game 5. The Heat, leading 3-1, will attempt to close out the best-of-seven series on Wednesday night in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

—The Memphis Grizzlies signed coach Dave Joerger to a contract extension on Tuesday.

The team did not disclose terms of the deal, which comes after Joerger spoke with the Minnesota Timberwolves last week about their coaching vacancy. Joerger made a decision to remain with the Grizzlies during the past weekend.

The Grizzlies finished with a 50-32 record in their first season under Joerger and lost in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.

—Sacramento is preparing a trade offer for the Minnesota Timberwolves with designs on making Kevin Love a King for a year.

To get Love, the Kings are reportedly comfortable with trading for the forward without requiring him to sign a long-term contract.

The Kings can offer the eighth overall pick and a package of players that could include well-traveled swingman Rudy Gay or 2013 first-rounder Ben McLemore for Love, who is entering the final season of his contract and professed a desire to join a contender.

While the Timberwolves are lining up their own strategy ahead of the 2014 NBA Draft and owner Glen Taylor said last week the team does not plan to deal Love, suitors are lining up in bunches to land the All-Star and the price could climb to a level Minnesota cannot refuse.

—Frank Vogel knows this is no time to cry foul. With his Pacers down 3-1 to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals following three consecutive losses, the Indiana coach is more concerned about turning the team’s fortunes than reliving Monday’s defeat.

“We can’t control calls,” Vogel said, refusing to comment on whether he disagreed with the calls that led up to his technical in Game 4. “We’ve got to worry about what … we’ve got to control our turnovers, our shot selection, our passing, our defense.”

Miami is one win from returning to the NBA Finals for the fifth consecutive season. Game 5 is Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“Their defensive pressure took us out of some of the things we wanted to do. I think we weren’t disciplined with our fouling,” Vogel said Tuesday.