NBA News Wire
NBA roundup: Pacers’ Watson receives flopping fine
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Indiana Pacers guard C.J. Watson was fined $5,000 by the NBA on Tuesday after a second violation this season of the league’s anti-flopping rules.
The infraction took place with 7:07 left in the first quarter of the Pacers’ 105-101 victory over the Utah Jazz on Monday night in Salt Lake City.
Watson received a first warning for flopping after the Pacers’ Dec. 26 game against the Detroit Pistons. The 30-year-old veteran is averaging 10.9 points and 4.1 assists for the Pacers this season.
—Los Angeles Lakers rookie Julius Randle underwent surgery on Tuesday to place a screw in his right foot.
The procedure at Cedars-Sinai Orthopedic Center in Los Angeles by Dr. David Thordarson involved the fifth metatarsal on his right foot. Randle suffered a season-ending broken leg in the Lakers’ opener this season and opted for the surgery on his foot, which he injured during high school.
The Lakers said Randle, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft from Kentucky, is expected to make a full recovery.
—Point guard Tony Parker was to return to the San Antonio Spurs’ lineup Tuesday in Detroit, finally confident and comfortable that he is recovered from a Dec. 5 hamstring injury.
Parker has played in only three of the past 16 games for the Spurs, and the 32-year-old tweaked the strained muscle in each of his previous attempts to return to the court. The most recent was Christmas Day against the Thunder.
—The Miami Heat waived guard Andre Dawkins on Tuesday after he appeared in four games this season.
Dawkins had three points, two rebounds and one assist in 22 minutes. He signed as an undrafted free agent the Heat on Sept. 23 after impressing the Heat with his shooting. The 23-year-old played four years at Duke and was with the Houston Rockets and the Heat during the summer league.
