Lakers' D'angelo Russell fined $25K for verbally abusing ref

The heat of the moment got the best of D'Angelo Russell following the Lakers' nail-biting 108-106 loss to the Nuggets in Game 5 of the Western Conference playoffs. The result? A hefty $25,000 fine for verbally abusing an official right after the buzzer. NBA's top brass, led by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, didn't take too kindly to Russell's outburst, slapping him with the fine on Saturday.

Russell's frustration might have stemmed from his performance that night. He put up 14 points on 6-of-15 shooting, dished out six assists, and grabbed a single rebound—decent, but perhaps not up to the high stakes of the game. Over the five-game series, he averaged 14.2 points, 4.2 assists, and 2.8 rebounds. Not too shabby, but still a step down from his regular season averages of 18.0 points and 6.3 assists. Not to mention, he set a franchise record this season with 226 three-pointers.

At 28, Russell is no rookie, and his regular-season heroics had set expectations high. The fine adds a sour note to his playoff journey, underlining that no matter how heated the game gets, there are lines you just can't cross.


Source Bleacher Report: Lakers' D'Angelo Russell Fined $25K for Verbally Abusing NBA Official in Nuggets Loss
Source ESPN: Lakers' D'Angelo Russell fined $25K for verbally abusing official