76ers coach Nick Nurse, guard Kelly Oubre Jr. fined $50K by NBA for lashing out at refs

Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse and guard Kelly Oubre Jr. were each fined $50,000 by the NBA on Friday for their reactions to a missed call that led to Wednesday’s 108-107 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Oubre was stuffed at the rim by Kawhi Leonard on the last play of the game that Nurse felt should have resulted in a foul on Paul George. A foul call would have sent Oubre to the line with a chance to win the game.

The following was released by the NBA: pic.twitter.com/OpispMMbaS

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 29, 2024

After no call was made, Nurse stormed onto the court to dispute the non-call and had to be restrained by his assistants. Oubre joined in, pointing at each official before being pulled away after the final buzzer.

“Well I think, listen, I think he took it in there pretty hard, right?” Nurse said. “I looked it on our computer screen a couple times. I thought there was certainly contact. Certainly as much as the last two or three that got called and-1’s at the other end. And that’s all. I just thought it was enough contact to call. But that’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Referee Kevin Scott admitted that Clippers’ Paul George fouled 76ers’ Kelly Oubre Jr.

Crew chief Kevin Scott said in a pool report after the game that there should have been a foul called against George that would have given Oubre two free throws.

Joe Dumars, NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations, said in a release that Nurse was fined for “aggressively pursuing and verbally abusing game officials” and Oubre was fined for “verbally abusing and directing an obscene gesture toward game officials.”

Oubre publicly apologized for “losing my cool” after the game and explained why he verbally attacked the officials.

“This is $25k per b*tch.” 😂@TeamLou23 on the fine Kelly Oubre Jr. is going to get for confronting the refs last night 😅

📺: https://t.co/oxMs3CA6QW pic.twitter.com/VzlU1rU0U0

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 28, 2024

“I saw Coach Nurse getting riled up, and if our coach is going to fight for us and he’s going there, then I’m right behind him,” Oubre said. “But at the end of the day, it wasn’t cool. So I’ll take whatever penalties come with that and you have to move on. But I got to be better in a sense.”

Wednesday’s loss dropped the Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) to eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They sit a half-game behind the Miami Heat (39-33) for seventh. Philadelphia also trails the No. 6-seeded Indiana Pacers (41-33) by 1 1/2 games.

The 76ers visit the Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) on Friday night.