NBA News Wire
Pacers’ George fined $25,000
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 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. The teams meet again in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series on Wednesday night in Indianapolis with the Pacers trailing 3-1.
George questioned the number of fouls called against the Pacers in Game 4 and suggested it was one of the reasons his team lost. George suggested that the Heat received home-court favortism from referees Dan Crawford, James Capers and Marc Davis
“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 is 7-0 during the playoffs in its arena.
The Heat shot 34 free throws to the Pacers’ 17. Indiana was called for 27 fouls and Miami for 17.
“Looking at the stat sheet, we outplayed them,” George said. “You have to give them credit, they won this game at the free throw line. They really just were able to get to the line more than we were. I thought we outplayed them tonight.
“It’s just demoralizing when a game is lopsided. I’m sorry to say, but that was the case, again. How rare is it we shoot 50 percent, turn the ball over around 13 or so times, outrebound a team and lose a ballgame? … They made (a season-high) 30 free throws. That put them over the edge.”
George’s punishment was in line with the $25,000 fines that Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd and Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers received for criticizing officials during the playoffs.
