Sports

Jimmy Butler Fined $25K For NBA Rules Violation, Celtics Fans Want Harsher Punishment

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Jimmy Butler celebrates a Game 2 win over Boston.

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Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler received a fine from the NBA on Tuesday. The punishment comes in direct response to his violating league rules.

Butler wasn’t available for media interviews following a Game 3 win in South Beach. Celtics fans believe the penalty should have been harsher.

The NBA PR team released a statement via its Twitter account noting the fine.

“Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been fined $25,000 for violating league rules governing media interview access, it was announced today by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations.

“The fine results from Butler’s failure to participate in required media availability following Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 21.”

Butler didn’t show to the postgame press conference after Miami’s most recent playoff win, instead leaving teammates to discuss the victory.

Typically, you’d see this move from a player frustrated following a loss, but in this case, it followed a blowout.

The Heat were up by 30 when the third quarter ended, leaving Butler to sit on the bench for the final 12 minutes of action. Still, he opted to stay in the locker room after the game.

The move costs him $25,000, but many Boston fans are joking that the punishment should be much, much stiffer.

Of course, playing four more games would mean the Celtics had evened up the series to force Game 7.

That’s not likely, as no NBA team has ever come back from being down 3-0 to win the series. Only three teams (out of 149) have been able to get to a decisive seventh contest.

There were others who viewed the fine as a soft move by the NBA.

Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals will take place on Tuesday. We’ll see if Jimmy Butler meets with the media after the matchup.