Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Billy Donovan Fined for Criticizing Officials

The NBA has fined Oklahoma City Thunder players Russell Westbrook and Paul George as well as head coach Billy Donovan $15,000 each for their postgame comments about the officiating after their loss in Portland on Sunday.

Westbrook sounded off about inconsistent refereeing after the game in which Carmelo Anthony was ejected for a flagrant-2 foul against Jusuf Nurkic. The initial call on that play was against Nurkic before officials reviewed it, ultimately deciding the contact Anthony made was not a natural basketball move and was unnecessary enough to warrant ejection.

Donovan, in his postgame comments, also questioned the ejection and the officials’ decision to not review a play where Westbrook was hit in the face:

I thought that play should’ve been reviewed. It may have proven nothing, but I think when someone gets hit in the face and goes down to the floor and you gotta call a timeout, you should at least review it just to make sure. I don’t know why they reviewed the other one. Maybe whoever it was, Nurkic, whoever it was, stayed down longer. I probably didn’t ask Russell to stay down on the court long enough to get it reviewed.

In addition to the fines, the NBA announced that the flagrant 2 foul on Anthony will stand. They did rescind a flagrant foul called on Westbrook in the Thunder’s loss to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.