National Basketball Association

Nets coach Jason Kidd fined $25K for public criticism of referees

Published May. 2, 2014 3:55 p.m. ET

foxsports

NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Friday for public criticism of the referees.

The penalty, announced hours before the Nets hosted Toronto in Game 6 of their first-round series, came for comments made during a conference call with reporters a day earlier.

Kidd questioned why Joe Johnson shot only one free throw in the Nets' 115-113 loss in Game 5. He felt Shaun Livingston was fouled on a rebound in the final seconds, but referee Tom Washington didn't call it, and said perhaps the Nets even needed to flop more.

"It was an opinion," Kidd said. "We all have them, right or wrong, so we move on."

It was the second fine for Kidd during his rookie season as a coach. He was also docked $50,000 for delaying a game by intentionally spilling a drink on the court.