1: 22 PM ET
ESPN News Services
Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams’ complaints about the free throw margin in Wednesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers have proved costly.
Williams was fined $20,000 on Friday for public criticism of the officiating, the NBA announced.
The fine stems from Williams’ comments ripping game officials and describing what he sees as a pattern of unfair officiating against his team in recent games. During Wednesday’s 122-111 loss, the Lakers shot 46 free throws to the Suns’ 20, outscoring Phoenix by 21 points at the foul line.
“Where do you see a game with 46 free throws for one team?” Williams said. “That’s just not right. I don’t care how you slice it. It is happening to us too much. Other teams are reaching, other teams are hitting, and we’re not getting the same call, and I’m tired of it. It’s old. … I’m over it. Been talking about the same thing for a while. Doesn’t matter what team it is.”
That was Williams’ only answer before he left the postgame news conference.
The Suns have lost five of their past six games and haven’t shot more free throws than their opponent in a game since March 3 against the Chicago Bulls.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.