Magic's Steve Clifford Fined $25K for Verbal Abuse of Refs After Loss to Knicks

NBA Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Kiki VanDeWeghe announced that Orlando Magic head coach Steve Clifford has been fined $25,000 for verbally abusing referees following his team's 105-103 loss to the New York Knicks on Thursday.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski explained the object of Clifford's ire:

The 22-30 Magic lost their seventh game in eight tries with the defeat.

The Magic were down 105-103 with 10 seconds left with a chance to tie or take the lead. Orlando got out in transition, but Evan Fournier pulled back with about five seconds remaining.

At that point, Clifford looked to call a timeout to reset his team, but the referees did not acknowledge his efforts.

Eventually, the play ended with a turnover, leading to the win.

The Last Two Minute Report noted Knicks point guard Elfrid Payton should have been called for a foul on Fournier, which led to the turnover as Josh Robbins of The Athletic described:

Clifford was seen calling the referees "stupid "motherf--kers" postgame. In conversations with reporters afterward, the head coach voiced his frustration.

"There’s three of them," Clifford said, per Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press. "There’s a guy on the baseline and I just saw it. I mean, visibly I called timeout. I don’t understand how that timeout’s not called. That may cost me, I don’t care."

Clifford and the Magic will look to bounce back against the Milwaukee Bucks at home Saturday.