Hawks’ Young fined $35,000 for gesture

Hawks guard Trae Young was fined $35,000 by the NBA for a gesture he made toward an official, the league announced Wednesday.

Head of basketball operations Joe Dumars imposed the fine for an incident that occurred with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s 136-126 home loss to the Bulls on Monday.

After being whistled for a technical foul for flopping after he tried to draw a call on a long 3-pointer, Young shook his head, looked upward and rubbed his fingers together in a money gesture.

The league statement described his actions as “inappropriate and unprofessional.”

It was the second time Young has been fined this season. The three-time All-Star was docked $25,000 in December for confronting an official and using inappropriate language after a home loss to the Nets.

VERLANDER ‘A LITTLE BIT BEHIND’

Justin Verlander says he is “a little bit behind schedule” due to offseason shoulder inflammation that could prevent him from being ready to pitch on opening day.

Verlander, who turns 41 next week, called the injury “a little hiccup’’ on Wednesday but added he will be “really cautious on how I’m building up.’’

The three-time Cy Young Award winner spoke on the first official day for pitchers and catchers at Astros camp.

“I’m a couple of weeks behind,’’ Verlander said. “I guess my body doesn’t respond at 40 as it does at 25. ... Let’s see how things go. If it ends up a little late, it’s a little late. If it’s on time, it’s on time. I’m not trying to rush.’’

General manager Dana Brown said he wasn’t worried about Verlander’s status, saying the right-hander planned to play catch Wednesday.

“Some of these guys when they ramp up, they feel some soreness,” Brown said. “I think he’s going to be fine. I’m not concerned at all.’’

FIGHTING IRISH RETURN TO STADIUM

Notre Dame will face Army on Nov. 23 at Yankee Stadium as the Fighting Irish resume their Shamrock Series, a tradition in which they move a designated home game off campus.

This matchup marks the 100th anniversary of Notre Dame’s 13-7 upset of Army in New York that featured the Fighting Irish’s “Four Horsemen” backfield of Jim Crowley, Elmer Layden, Don Miller and Harry Stuhldreher. That game took place on Oct. 18, 1924.

Notre Dame began the Shamrock Series in 2009 and has played 11 of those games at various sites across the country, most recently a 2820 victory over BYU at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium in 2022. The Irish never lost a Shamrock Series game.

This will be Notre Dame’s third Shamrock Series game at Yankee Stadium. The Irish beat Army, 27-3, in 2010 and defeated Syracuse, 36-3, in 2018.

Notre Dame is coming off a 2023 season in which it went 10-3, beat Oregon State in the Sun Bowl and was 14th in the final AP Top 25. Army went 6-6 for a second straight season last year.

BUCKEYES FIRE HOOPS COACH

Ohio State fired seventh-year basketball coach Chris Holtmann on Wednesday with the Buckeyes mired in yet another subpar season.

Associate head coach Jake Diebler will run the program for the rest of the season and a search for a new head coach will commence then, the school said in a statement.

Ohio State is 14-11, 4-10 in the Big Ten, and has lost nine of the last 11. In 2022-23, the Buckeyes suffered their first losing season in nearly two decades, finishing 16-19 and 5-15 in the Big Ten.