Nets part-owner fined $35,000 after criticizing NBA refs on Twitter
Brooklyn Nets part-owner Joseph Tsai sent out a costly tweet Sunday night. After criticizing NBA refs, Tsai was fined $35,000 by commissioner Adam Silver on Monday.
In a statement, the NBA said Tsai was fined for “public statements detrimental to the NBA.” On Sunday night, Tsai sent out a tweet defending Nets general manager Sean Marks for “protesting the wrong and missed calls.”
My partners and I have spoken and the entire Nets ownership group support our GM Sean Marks for protesting the wrong calls and missed calls. NBA rules are rules and we respect that, but our players and fans expect things to be fair.
— Joe Tsai (@joetsai1999) April 22, 2019
Marks confronted officials in the referee’s locker room following the Nets’ 112-108 loss Saturday to the Philadelphia 76ers. Marks was fined $25,000 and suspended for one game for his actions. Marks was upset at how officials handled Joel Embiid’s flagrant fouls in Game 2 and Game 4.
The series between the Nets and 76ers has been feisty. On top of the flagrant fouls, both Jimmy Butler and Jared Dudley were ejected from Game 4 for their involvement in a scuffle. The series has also featured a back-and-forth between Dudley and Ben Simmons.
After their Game 4 win, the 76ers lead the Nets in the series 3-1. With another win, the 76ers will eliminate the Nets from the postseason. Given how much animosity has been built up during the series, the Nets won’t go down with a fight.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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