Celtics ace Irving fined for ball toss

Celtics ace Irving fined for ball toss
AFP

New York (AFP) – Boston Celtics star Kyrie Irving was fined $25,000 on Tuesday after angrily throwing a basketball into spectator stands, the NBA said in a statement.

Irving hurled a ball into the public seating area at the end of Boston’s 115-107 defeat to the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center in Colorado on Monday.

A furious Irving was incensed after Nuggets ace Jamal Murray attempted a three-pointer with the final move of the game.

Murray, who finished the Nuggets’ win with 48 points, had been attempting to break through the 50-point barrier.

Irving however reacted furiously following Murray’s attempt, suggesting the 21-year-old had showed a lack of respect.

“The ball deserves to go in the crowd after a move like that,” Irving said later. “So I threw it in the crowd.”

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone denied Murray had intended to be disrespectful to the Celtics.

“He’s young, he’s still learning,” Malone said afterwards.

“You never want to disrespect anyone. I think it wasn’t disrespect; he was trying to get to 50 points, which you understand. But our veterans talked to him, and it’s something he’ll learn from.”

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