NBA fines Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks for ripping refs

FILE–Dillon Brooks #24 of the Memphis Grizzlies. Justin Ford/Getty Images/AFP 

Memphis Grizzlies guard Dillon Brooks has been fined $25,000 for “aggressively confronting a game official” and failing to depart the court when he was ejected from a game midweek, the NBA said Friday.

Byron Spruell, president of league operations, announced the fine two days after Brooks went ballistic in the Grizzlies’ 104-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Game officials handed out six technical fouls in the contest, and Brooks was tossed when he earned his second technical of the night with less than a minute remaining.

Brooks thought he was fouled by Kristaps Porzingis on a drive to the basket, but no foul was called even though he hit the court.

He assailed a referee, and had to be held back by assistant coaches before finally leaving the court.

After the game he didn’t hold back in criticizing the officiating crew.

“As you saw in the game, we’ve been playing physical basketball for about a week now. And all of a sudden, new officials come in here and they call an inconsistent game.

“They want to call ticky-tack in the first half and then in the second half they want to call nothing. And then you got guys getting undercut, being getting hit on the floor, no call.

“There’s a lack of protection of the players and that’s the main thing, I felt like this crew came out there and just made it about them and that’s bull.”