Houston Rockets guard James Harden has been fined $25,000 for his criticism of NBA referee Scott Foster following Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
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After the 111-106 loss, Harden was critical of Foster by saying that he has a personal issue with Harden and that players can't talk to Foster throughout the course of a game.
Rockets star James Harden has been fined $25,000 for public comments directed toward officiating after loss to Lakers.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2019
"Scott Foster, man. I never really talk about officiating or anything like that, but just rude and arrogant," Harden said on Thursday. "I mean, you aren't able to talk to him throughout the course of the game, and it's like, how do you build that relationship with officials? And it's not even that call [on the sixth foul]. It's just who he is on that floor.
"It's pretty frustrating. And I'm probably going to get hit [with a fine], but honestly, I don't really say anything. I'm a pretty quiet guy, to myself, but it's one of those things where you can't voice your opinion. You can't have a conversation with someone that's officiating the game. You're getting a tech. It's pretty sad."
Harden is personally in the midst of one of the most impressive individual stretches in NBA history. The reigning MVP has scored at least 30 points in 32 consecutive games and barely kept the streak going with a 30-point performance against the Lakers.
The Rockets star will look to put this situation behind him when the Rockets take on the defending champion Golden State Warriors on Saturday. Harden is currently listed as a game-time decision with a neck injury for the contest.
