LOS ANGELES • Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was slapped with a fine for an "obscene gesture" and warned for swearing during a press conference by the National Basketball Association's (NBA) disciplinary officials on Friday.
"LeBron James has been fined US$15,000 (S$20,500) for making an obscene gesture on the playing court and warned for using profane language during media availability," said a league spokesman.
This is the second time in a week that the league has disciplined him for an on-court incident.
He was hit with a one-game suspension for a bloody altercation with Detroit Pistons' Isaiah Stewart in a game last Sunday. It was the first suspension of his career.
The ban meant James missed the Lakers' 106-100 loss to the New York Knicks on Tuesday. He returned on Wednesday to face the Indianapolis Pacers and scored 39 points in a 124-116 overtime win.
Late in the fourth quarter, he drew the ire of league officials for making an obscene gesture - dancing while holding his crotch in what was an imitation of the "Sam Cassell celebration" - after sinking a three-point basket that extended the Lakers' lead to six points.
James slammed the one-game suspension after the Pacers game, describing the punishment to reporters as "some b***s***", which led to the NBA's warning.
The fine did not affect him on Friday night as he scored a team-high 30 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds against the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Centre.
But De'Aaron Fox recorded 34 points and eight assists and Buddy Hield scored 25 points off the bench as the Kings notched a dramatic 141-137 triple-overtime victory over the Lakers.
Tyrese Haliburton registered 19 points, nine assists, six rebounds and five steals for the Kings (8-12), who recovered from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to improve to 2-1 under interim coach Alvin Gentry in a game that saw 19 ties and 23 lead changes.
Russell Westbrook added 29 points, 11 assists and 10 boards for the Lakers (10-11), who lost for the fifth time in seven games. Anthony Davis contributed 23 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots.
"When we get an opportunity to knock a team out, we just allow them to stick around," Lakers coach Frank Vogel lamented.
"We knew the early season was going to be bumpy. You want to win games like this but there is a big-picture mindset we are taking with this team."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
