NBA fines Celtics' Joe Mazzulla $35K for actions toward official

Field Level Media|published: Sat 21st December, 12:58 2024

Dec 19, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts after called for a technical foul as they take on the Chicago Bulls in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has been fined $35,000 by the NBA on Saturday for aggressively pursuing and directing inappropriate language toward a game official.

Mazzulla charged the court to voice his displeasure with official Justin Van Duyne near the conclusion of the Celtics' 117-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Thursday in Boston. The outburst came after Mazzulla and Celtics forward Jaylen Brown were whistled for back-to-back technical fouls.

Mazzulla acknowledged in his postgame press conference that he should not have walked on the court.

Brown, however, said that he received his technical after asking Van Duyne for an explanation on why his coach was penalized.

"I said to (Van Duyne), 'You called a tech (on Mazzulla) for no reason.' He said, 'If you say to it me again, I'm going to call another tech,'" Brown said. "You can't threaten guys with a technical foul, that's not part of the game either. If you want to fine guys for gesturing and all that stuff -- fine that. That's some (expletive)."

--Field Level Media