DeRozan Gets a $25,000 Fine, Embiid Calls Dudley ‘A Nobody’ and More

San Antonio Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan is fined by the NBA after throwing a ball at an official, Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid calls out Jared Dudley after an altercation in Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets, while James Harden bounced back from a slow start to lead Houston to a win over Utah.

Spurs’ DeRozan fined by NBA for throwing a basketball at a game official in Game 4 | News4SA

San Antonio Spurs’ star DeMar DeRozan gets a $25,000 fine for throwing a ball at Scott Foster during his team’s 117-103 loss to the Denver Nuggets. The former Toronto Raptor earned an ejection with five minutes remaining and the NBA announced that the fine was due to DeRozan “recklessly throwing the basketball toward a game official and into the spectator stands.”

Spurs' DeMar DeRozan has been fined $25,000 by NBA for throwing ball toward official on Saturday night.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 21, 2019

NBA playoffs 2019: Jared Dudley is ‘a nobody,’ says Joel Embiid | Sporting News

The Philadelphia 76ers moved a step closer from making it to the Round 2 of the NBA playoffs after a 112-108 victory over Brooklyn Nets. Jimmy Butler and Jared Dudley were both ejected from the game after the Nets’ veteran shoved Joel Embiid. Still, Embiid later stated that Dudley is nobody and that he is much more valuable to his team and that’s why he didn’t react.

Harden starts 0-for-15, carries Rockets in clutch | ESPN

James Harden opened Game 3 against the Utah Jazz with 15 straight misses, but he managed to bounce back and finish the tilt with 22 points and 10 assists, helping his Houston Rockets to get a 3-0 lead in the series. The Beard claims he didn’t realize he missed 15 shots to start the game.

“Keep shooting, keep being aggressive,” said Harden, who finished 3-of-20 from the floor, 2-of-13 from 3-point range and 14-of-16 from the free throw line. “0-of-15, 14-of-15, 15-of-15, my job is to go out there and produce and be aggressive and in attack mode. Nothing changes.”

James Harden upon hearing he went 0-15 before his first basket: "Oh, for real?!" https://t.co/dQrd6wfdOR

— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) April 21, 2019

Nets’ G.M. Sean Marks Suspended for Entering the Referees’ Locker Room | The New York Times

Sean Marks, the general manager of the Brooklyn Nets, is suspended for one game for entering the referees’ locker room after Saturday’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers and he is also fined with $25,000. The tension between the teams and their players is heating up and this is only the latest incident, so we can expect a few more in Game 5 in Philadelphia.

Playoff emotion on TEN this weekend: DeMar chucking a ball at Scott Foster, the Dudley-Embiid mix-up that fell into the stands during Sixers-Nets, and…apparently involved Brooklyn GM Sean Marks entering the refs’ room after (a huge no-no that will cost him a game and $25k) pic.twitter.com/eyY1iw7DQR

— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) April 21, 2019

Kobe Bryant Reflects On Mentoring Kyrie Irving, FaceTime Call He Received After 2016 NBA Finals | Lakers Nation

Los Angeles Lakers’ legend and future Hall of Famer, Kobe Bryant, retired in 2016 but remained close to basketball and it is known that he was working with several NBA stars such as Kyrie Irving, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Jayson Tatum, among others.

“I’ve had a few of them… you know Kyrie certainly. I remember sitting on the couch at home after Cleveland came back from that 3-1 deficit and beat Golden State. We’re watching the game, we’re sitting on the couch. Me and Gianna are there just kind of hanging out. And my phone rings and it’s a FaceTime call. I hate FaceTime calls… don’t FaceTime call me unless it’s my family, but it’s Kyrie. I pick it up and Kyrie’s in the locker room celebrating on FaceTime like, ‘Dude it worked, your advice worked!’”

Kobe Bryant on mentoring Kyrie Irving, FaceTime call after 2016 NBA Finals.https://t.co/OXP9nKgi8V pic.twitter.com/CRF2npwQtx

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) April 21, 2019