Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson fined for 'berating' and 'making contact' with an official

Cleveland Cavaliers manager Kenny Atkinson was fined $50,000 for "aggressively pursuing, berating and making inadvertent interaction with a crippled official," the NBA announced Saturday. 

The league's announcement said the incidental happened with 10:59 near successful the 4th fourth of Cleveland's 126-113 nonaccomplishment to the Phoenix Suns Friday. 

Atkinson was assessed his 2nd method foul of the crippled erstwhile helium stormed the tribunal aft a no-call against Sam Merrill for driving connected Collin Gillespie aft helium bumped into an authoritative earlier being escorted disconnected and ejected from the game. 

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Cleveland Cavaliers caput manager Kenny Atkinson reacts during the 2nd fractional successful Game 4 of a first-round playoff bid against the Miami Heat April 28, 2025, successful Miami.  (AP Photo/Rhona Wise)

Atkinson whipped his limb against the adjacent referee earlier the whistle was blown. 

Atkinson ripped the officials successful a postgame quality conference. 

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Cleveland Cavaliers caput manager Kenny Atkinson reacts successful the archetypal 4th against the Indiana Pacers during Game 2 of the 2nd circular of the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Rocket Arena successful Cleveland May 6, 2025. (David Richard-Imagn Images)

"We had 1 escaped propulsion aft 3 quarters against a squad that [is 26th successful fouls]," Atkinson said. "And the 2nd escaped propulsion we got was aft a flop. I’m not pleased. I thought the crippled got retired of hand, rather honestly. Parts of the crippled seemed circus-like, rather honestly. I don’t cognize if that’s what we privation arsenic a league.

"Certain characters successful this league instrumentality liberties, and we don’t basal up to them. And the crippled turns into reviews, challenges, spell to the show for 20 minutes erstwhile we’re conscionable trying to play basketball. I don’t deliberation it’s bully for the league, and I cognize it wasn’t bully for america tonight. Thought they fto the crippled get retired of hand."

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Cleveland Cavaliers caput manager Kenny Atkinson reacts during the archetypal fractional against the Indiana Pacers successful Game 1 of the 2nd circular of the 2025 NBA Playoffs astatine Rocket Arena successful Cleveland May 4, 2025. (Ken Blaze-Imagn Images)

The Cavaliers fell to 29-21, portion Phoenix improved to 30-19. 

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