Kenny Atkinson fined $50,000 for contact with NBA official

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Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson was fined $50,000 for "aggressively pursuing, berating and making inadvertent contact with a sport official," the NBA introduced Saturday.

The league's announcement stated the incident occurred with 10:59 left within the fourth quarter of Cleveland's 126-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns Friday.

Atkinson was assessed his second technical foul of the sport when he stormed the courtroom after a no-call in opposition to Sam Merrill for driving on Collin Gillespie after he ran into an official earlier than being escorted off and ejected from the sport.

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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts throughout the second half in Sport 4 of a first-round playoff collection in opposition to the Miami Warmth April 28, 2025, in Miami. (AP Photograph/Rhona Smart)

Atkinson whipped his arm in opposition to the close by referee earlier than the whistle was blown.

Atkinson ripped the officers in a postgame information convention.

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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts within the first quarter in opposition to the Indiana Pacers throughout Sport 2 of the second spherical of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Area in Cleveland Might 6, 2025. (David Richard-Imagn Photographs)

"We had one free throw after three quarters in opposition to a crew that [is 26th in fouls]," Atkinson stated. "And the second free throw we bought was after a flop. I’m not happy. I assumed the sport bought out of hand, fairly actually. Components of the sport appeared circus-like, fairly actually. I don’t know if that’s what we would like as a league.

"Sure characters on this league take liberties, and we don’t stand as much as them. And the sport turns into opinions, challenges, go to the monitor for 20 minutes after we’re simply attempting to play basketball. I don’t suppose it’s good for the league , and I do know it wasn’t good for us tonight. Thought they let the sport get out of hand."

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Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson reacts throughout the first half in opposition to the Indiana Pacers in Sport 1 of the second spherical of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Area in Cleveland Might 4, 2025. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Photographs)

The Cavaliers fell to 29-21, whereas Phoenix improved to 30-19.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports activities reporter for Fox Information Digital masking important political and cultural points in sports activities, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal authorities actions associated to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media shops together with The New York Instances, The Los Angeles Instances, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Related Press and ESPN.com.