Clippers’ Ty Lue fined $35K for claiming refs were ‘cheating’
The NBA said Lue was fined for “public criticism of the officiating and for questioning the integrity of game officials” in a statement released Friday.
Lue got two separate technical fouls early in the fourth quarter, and he was ejected after a brief skirmish between the teams.
The Clippers rallied from a significant deficit after Lue’s ejection, roaring back to beat the Warriors 130-125. Lue was then caught on video in an apparently semipublic area near the Clippers’ locker room at Chase Center as he yelled to his players and staff: “Where the refs at now? Cheating. That’s all they be doing.”
Lue also was captured yelling: “Where James at? The referee. I want to kick him in the mouth.”
James Williams was one of the three officials working the game.
Lue’s Clippers have been on a roll since the start of December, going 28-7 with newcomer James Harden and emerging as a significant contender for the franchise’s first NBA title.
Lue is in his fourth season in charge of the Clippers after leading them to three playoff appearances and the team’s first Western Conference finals appearance. He won an NBA title in his first season as a head coach with LeBron James and the Cavaliers in 2016, and Cleveland also reached the next two NBA Finals.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.