The NBA is taking action after Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic’s latest interaction with officials.
At the 4:35 mark of the third quarter in the Lakers’ 110-97 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena, Doncic attempted to draw a charge on Knicks forward Mohamed Diawara on a fast break, but no foul was called and the Knicks got a transition layup.
While still laying on the floor, Doncic rubbed his fingers together on both hands, making the universal money sign.
Two days later, Doncic has been fined $50,000 for ‘directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official,’ NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations James Jones announced via a statement released by the league on Tuesday.
This is the latest instance of Doncic butting heads with referees. On March 6, he received his 15th technical foul of the season, putting him just one call away from an automatic one-game suspension. He’s currently the player with the second-most technicals in the NBA, behind only Dillion Brooks.
Luka Doncic stats
Gesture aside, Doncic played as well as he has all season in Sunday’s game, scoring 35 points on 44% shooting with eight rebounds and four assists. His season averages are on par with his career numbers and his 32.5 points per game leads the NBA, positioning himself to win the scoring title and as a legitimate contender in the MVP race.