Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes was fined another $25,000 for using “inappropriate language to a fan” during the team’s victory over the Suns on Sunday.
Matt Barnes claims Suns owner provoked him into $25K fine
According to Barnes, it wasn’t just any fan he was cursing at.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
This is another in a long line of infractions for Barnes, who was also docked $25,000 for cursing at two Wizards fans and kicking a waterbottle into the stands a month and a half ago. He’s been fined or suspended nine times since 2008, including for using a racial slur in a tweet in 2013 and for throwing the ball into the stands in 2009.
But Barnes says he was provoked ... by the owner of the Phoenix Suns, Robert Sarver.
Another 25k! The part of the story the nba hasn't told you was my language wasnt directed at a fan, I was talkn to the owner of the Suns....
— Matt Barnes (@Matt_Barnes22) January 27, 2015 ..Who was sitting on the baseline & I only said something to him AFTER he cussed at me, BUT because I didn't SNITCH I get fined!! #thecode
— Matt Barnes (@Matt_Barnes22) January 27, 2015 Sarver is known to be willing to trash talk opponents -- he once danced like a chicken near Gregg Popovich because he sat key starters in a late-season game to rest -- so the idea that he’d come at Barnes and Barnes would fire back is totally plausible.
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