Friday 15 February 2019 06:40, UK
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has been fined $25,000 for "verbally abusing and confronting a game official", the NBA announced.
Kerr was ejected for arguing with official Kenny Mauer after Draymond Green's common foul was upgraded to a flagrant 1 foul in the fourth quarter of their 129-107 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.
The Warriors coach slammed the scorers' table to earn his first technical and then swung his right arm in the air while approaching the official on the court. He was tagged with a quick second technical and dismissed.
Kevin Durant held back an incensed Kerr after he was ejected.
"I was just shocked that it was called a flagrant foul," Kerr said.
"That was head-scratching that could be called a flagrant foul. I mean, the guy's going to go up for a dunk, you got to make sure he doesn't dunk it.
"So I told Kenny [Mauer] I beg to differ."
Green also was issued a technical foul during the incident.
On the original call on the floor, Green fouled the Blazers' Zach Collins at the rim. As for the uproar afterwards, Green said he appreciated his coach's support.
"That was amazing; it's great," Green said. "He set the tone for us to close the game the way we did. It was good. I got a tech also for standing there.
"That probably should be a delay of game, not a tech. You can't give somebody a tech because they're standing there. That's a delay of game. But whatever."
