The NBA announced Saturday that Mavericks forward Shawn Marion has been fined $25,000 for “public criticism of officiating” following a 117-114 overtime loss to the Thunder on Friday night.
Marion was upset because Thunder All-Star forward Kevin Durant, who notched a career-high 52 points, shot 21 free throw attempts.
“It’s hard to beat anybody when you’re playing five-on-eight,” Mavs small forward Shawn Marion said, a not-so-subtle reference to Durant’s 21 free throw attempts, all of which he made. “That’s nuts. Some of them were fouls. Some of them were questionable. But it is what it is.”
The Thunder attempted 36 free throws; the Mavericks attempted 30. Oklahoma City improved to 32-8 with the win; Dallas dropped to 17-24 with the loss.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was fined $50,000 earlier this month for criticizing the league’s officials following two other overtime losses.
“I’m sorry NBA fans,” Cuban wrote on his Twitter account. “I’ve tried for 13 years to fix the officiating in this league and I have failed miserably. Any suggestions? I need help.”
Marion, 34, is averaging 10.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Mavericks this season. He is on the books for $8.4 million.
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