Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue has been fined $25,000 for his public criticism of officiating following Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the league announced Sunday. After the Cavaliers' 108-97 loss on Friday, Lue complained about superstar LeBron James receiving unfair treatment.
"He never gets calls," Lue said. "I mean, he attacks. He's one of the most -- outside of Russell Westbrook, he's one of the guys that attacks the paint every single play. And he doesn't get a fair whistle all the time because of his strength and because of his power and guys bounce off of him. But those are still fouls and we weren't able to get them, but we've got to play through officiating."
James played 46 minutes and went 2-for-4 from the free throw line. In the Finals, he has averaged 4.3 free throw attempts per game. James is often seen as difficult to officiate -- he is strong enough that defenders bounce off of him when they foul him, but he also initiates a lot of contact.
Earlier in the playoffs, Lue implied that James was often not officiated correctly. This was direct criticism, though, and he had to have an idea that his comments could cost him. If this results in James getting to the free throw line more in a die-or-die game, though, it could be worth it.
