Alexander fined $100,000

NBA hits owner with $100,000 fine for incident during series finale

First-quarter comment to official in Game 5 clincher proves costly to Rockets owner.

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander got his two cents in during Tuesday’s Game 5 between the Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder. It cost him considerably more.

Alexander was fined $100,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for confronting official Bill Kennedy in the first quarter of Tuesday’s series clincher.

Alexander was unavailable to comment on the NBA ruling. He would not comment after the game Tuesday, saying only that at the time he was “upset. Very upset.”

Alexander left his courtside seat, walking about 20 feet to step behind Kennedy and say a few words. The ball was in play with 13 seconds left in the first quarter as Oklahoma City star Russell Westbrook held it for a final shot. Kennedy glanced briefly at Alexander as he made his way back to his midcourt seat but did not seem to respond in any way.

After the game, Rockets guard James Harden, who didn’t see Alexander get up, said he was surprised because Alexander “is one of the coolest guys” but said he would have been happy to help.

“He did that?” Harden said. “He’s just the coolest guy on earth. I would have probably ran over there and tried to help him.”

The most relevant precedent to the ruling could be a $100,000 fine Mavericks owner Mark Cuban received for going on the court and confronting officials after a game in January 2014, one of David Stern’s final actions as commissioner. Cuban was also fined $100,000 for going on the court during a game in May 2006 to complain about a noncall and another $100,000 for comments about the NBA’s selection of playoff officials. Cuban was also fined $100,000 for making a choking gesture at officials during a game in April 2001 and for comments after the game.

Earlier in the playoffs, Rockets guard Pat Beverley was fined $25,000 for an exchange with a fan in Oklahoma City.