Nets' Kevin Durant Fined $25K by NBA After Directing Obscene Language at Fan
The Brooklyn Nets' 113-111 loss to the Dallas Mavericks will reportedly cost Kevin Durant more than just a game in the standings.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the NBA fined Durant $25,000 because he directed "obscene language toward a fan" during the home game at Barclays Center.
Wajih AlBaroudi of CBS Sports noted Durant told a fan, "You got to shut the f--k up," after that fan was heard telling him to take over the game.
AlBaroudi also noted this is nothing new for the 12-time All-Star who "has been fined a total of $90,000 since April 2021 for using homophobic and misogynistic language toward actor Michael Rapaport on social media, directing obscene language toward a fan and using profane language in a postgame interview."
On the court, the loss ended Brooklyn's four-game winning streak after an incredible finish.
Luka Doncic drilled a contested shot to give the Mavericks a two-point lead in the final 30 seconds, but Durant answered by rising over the defense and drilling a difficult three-pointer to swing the lead back to Brooklyn.
Yet Dallas had the last laugh when Spencer Dinwiddie hit a winning three with a second left against his former team.
It was another blow in a season filled with them for the Nets.
Kyrie Irving still can't play home games because he remains unvaccinated against COVID-19, Durant missed significant time with injury, James Harden missed some time with injury before he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, Joe Harris is out for the season, and Ben Simmons still hasn't played after coming to Brooklyn via the Harden deal.
The Nets have the talent to win it all but are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and 3.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the race to avoid the play-in tournament.
