Mavs fined $50K for violating ‘bench decorum’

Jason Kidd questioned the NBA after the league fined the Dallas Mavericks $25,000 for “violating league rules regarding team bench decorum,” during Game 2 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the Phoenix Suns.

“The league is worried about the wrong thing,” the Mavs coach said heading into Game 3 of that best-of-7 series.

“They have millionaires cheering on other millionaires. Doesn’t happen in this society. The enthusiasm of the game, for a teammate to cheer on another teammate is special and I think sometimes we’re focused on the wrong thing. And so when you look at people who make a lot of money cheering on their teammates or their employees, that’s what sport is all about.”

The NBA is still clearly worried about it as the Mavs were fined $50,000 for the same thing as the league deemed their bench players were too close or on the court during Sunday’s Game 7, which Dallas won to eliminate the top-seeded Suns at Footprint Center.

“On multiple occasions, several players and a member of the coaching staff stood for an extended period in the Mavericks’ team bench area, stood away from the team bench, and were on or encroaching upon the playing court during game action,” the NBA stated in Wednesday’s news release.

The NBA also announced the fine amount was a reflection of “prior infractions of team bench decorum rules” in this year’s playoffs.

Byron Spruell, president of league operations. made the fine announcement Wednesday.

The Mavs face the third-seeded Warriors in the conference finals that begin Wednesday in San Francisco.