(Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images)
Sacramento Kings swingman DeMar DeRozan was handed down a $25,000 fine by the NBA for criticizing officials, the league announced Friday.
DeRozan, 35, called out the officiating following his team's 116-110 road loss to the Denver Nuggets Wednesday night.
After building a nine-point lead, the Kings got outscored 32-17 in the fourth quarter as the Nuggets gained nine more attempts from the free throw line (13-4).
'The refs were terrible,' he told the Sacramento Bee. 'Terrible as s--. Simple as that.'
The Kings are in the middle of a playoff chase and currently sit in the play-in game as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference at 32-29.
DeRozan, a six-time All-Star, is scoring 22.2 points per game and is shooting a career-best 36.1 percent from 3-point range in his first season in Sacramento.
He averages 21.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game over his 16-year NBA career.
--Field Level Media
