NBA fines Morris for grab, Butler and Heat for obscene gesture

The NBA fined Miami Heat players Jimmy Butler and Markieff Morris, as well as the team, on Thursday for violations committed in a playoff series-clinching home victory over Atlanta on Tuesday.

The players involved in both situations were on the bench when they were scolded by the league. While Butler was sidelined with right knee soreness, Morris was in uniform but didn’t play.

For interfering with gameplay while on the bench, Morris was fined $25,000.

Butler received a $15,000 punishment for making an indecent hip-thrusting gesture, and the team received the same amount for broadcasting it on social media.

As he collected a pass from a teammate, Morris grabbed and held Atlanta guard De’Andre Hunter out of bounds, preventing Hunter from reestablishing himself inbounds.

Morris was called for an unsportsmanlike technical foul for his grab with 7:06 left in the third quarter.

Butler was involved in an incident with 1:43 left in the second quarter.

The Heat beat the Hawks 97-94 at home on Tuesday to win their first-round series 4-1 and advance to the second round, where they will face either the Philadelphia 76ers or the Toronto Raptors.

The Heat finished the regular season with a 53-29 record, earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and a home-court advantage in the conference semi-final series, which begins on Monday in Miami.

In the other Eastern Conference semi-final series, defending champion Milwaukee will meet the Boston Celtics.

During the regular season, Butler, 32, averaged 21.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.

Morris, 32, helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the NBA championship in 2020. This season, he averaged 7.6 points, 5.6 points, and 1.6 assists per game.

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