An interview like this will definitely end up with you writing a check to NBA charities. Paul George was fined $35K https://t.co/y0KFlixvtU
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) December 19, 2015
Paul George’s wallet just got a little thinner during the Holiday season. The two-time NBA All-Star was fined $35,000 by the league office on Saturday for public criticism of officiating and using profanity in a live television interview.
George’s latest comments — which were not PG-13 — came on Friday night in a live postgame interview with Jeremiah Johnson of FOX Sports Indiana following the Pacers’ 104-97 win over Brooklyn. George was upset after being whistled for four personal fouls and turning the ball over seven times.
This is Paul George’s second offense this season.
“The stripes was terrible,” George said. “We had to go out and just play. We knew the way this game was going and how they was calling it, we had to play.
“It’s frustrating, but hopefully the league does a better job of looking at s— like this.”
This isn’t the first time that George, the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for Oct./Nov., has let his feelings on the officiating known publicly. He’s done it numerous times over his six-year career.
Earlier this season, George was hit with a $10,000 fine from the league office for his public remarks after the team’s regular-season debut in Toronto on Oct. 28, a 106-99 loss.
George has been issued six technical fouls this season, tied with Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers for the most in The Association. That’s another $13,000 in fines. So, in all, George has a running tab of $58,000 due to the league office.
If he reaches 16 technicals before the end of the regular season, he must serve a one-game suspension.