NBA Fines Kelly Oubre Jr. And Nick Nurse $50,000 Each
Officials acknowledged in the postgame pool report that they blew the call.
The NBA has fined forward Kelly Oubre Jr. and head coach Nick Nurse of the Philadelphia 76ers $50,000 apiece for interacting with officials after their team’s 108-107 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
For “out loud abusing and hurling an obscene gesture toward game officials,” Oubre Jr. is being penalized, while Nurse is facing punishment for “swiftly assaulting and verbally abusing game officials.”
The 76ers lost in a contentious fashion because they claimed that Paul George fouled Oubre Jr. before Kawhi Leonard stopped his attempt at the game-winning basket. The Clippers won by a single point because there was no call on the play.
The call infuriated Nurse, who had to be restrained by other team members as she hurried to the court. Oubre Jr. said he wasn’t alone, using the occasion to gesture to each official.
“You are a b****. You’re a b****.” Oubre Jr. seemed to say to the referees, “You’re a b****,” before being removed as well.
Nurse stated after the game that he thought there was sufficient interaction to warrant a call. “But that’s the way it goes sometimes.”
In an interview with the media following the game, Oubre Jr. expressed regret for his conduct while maintaining his belief that a foul should have been called.
When it came to the officials’ admission of a missed call after the game, Nurse and Oubre Jr. were right to believe what they did.
NBA referee Kevin Scott stated in a pool report sourced by Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Regarding the final action on the field, the crew immediately perceived it as a vertical jump by the defender. Notwithstanding, after the post-match film analysis, we noticed a minor lateral movement by the defender George, and a foul ought to have been called.”
