Nets Coach Kidd Fined $25,000 For Criticizing Refs

[May 03, 2014]  (Reuters) - Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd was fined by the National Basketball Association on Friday after complaining about a lack of fouls called against the Toronto Raptors in their latest playoff game.

But the NBA took a dim view of the first-year coach's complaints and promptly slapped him with a $25,000 fine.

Kidd told reporters on a conference call on Thursday that it was "mind boggling" that guard Joe Johnson took 23 shots in Wednesday's game five defeat in Toronto and got only one free throw in the contest.

"If flopping is the way to go, then we have to maybe play that game," said Kidd.

Kidd also asserted that on his team's last possession in the final seconds of the 115-113 loss, Brooklyn guard Shaun Livingston was fouled in front of a referee but no call was made.

It was not the first time this season that the former 10-time NBA All-Star guard has run foul of league disciplinarians.

In November, Kidd had to pay a $50,000 fine for intentionally spilling a drink on the court in order to gain more time to talk to his team in the closing seconds of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Brooklyn host the Raptors on Friday night, needing to win to force the series into a deciding seventh game.

(Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Julian Linden)

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