NBA fines Nets' Jason Kidd for intentionally spilling soda on court
http://youtu.be/vEqU7JHkfu0
The NBA has fined Nets coach Jason Kidd $50,000 for intentionally spilling soda during Brooklyn's 99-94 loss to the L.A. Lakers on Wednesday, the league announced Thanksgiving Day.
The fine was first reported by Yahoo! Sports and ESPN.com.
With 8.3 seconds remaining and the Lakers leading 96-94, Jodie Meeks prepared to take the second of two free throws. Without any timeouts remaining, Kidd began a conversation with second-year guard Tyshawn Taylor while holding a plastic cup of soda and ice in his right hand. Taylor bumped into Kidd's arm during the conversation, causing the soda to spill on the court, and Kidd initially bent over as if he was going to scoop up the ice cubes and cup before an official stopped the game so that an attendant could clean up the mess.
TheBrooklynGame.com reviewed the tape (see above) and concluded that Kidd said "Hit me" to Taylor before the soda-spilling collision. Why cause such a mess? Two possible reasons: 1) to ice Meeks on his second free throw and 2) to draw up a play for Brooklyn's final, game-deciding offensive possession.
Kidd said the spill was accidental during his postgame comments, according to TheBrooklynGame.
"Cup slipped out of my hand I was getting Ty," Kidd said. "Sweaty palms. I was never good with the ball."
"In the heat of the battle, you're trying to get guys in and out of the game, and the cup fell out of my hand."
The New York Post reported Taylor's take.
"Coach is drinking a soda on the sideline … I was like, ‘What’s he doing?’"
"It could ice a free throw shooter and be a timeout when you don’t have one, but that wasn’t the thought process."
Here's an animated look at Kidd's mouth movements, the spillage and his reaction.
The Nets fell to 4-11 after Paul Pierce was unable to hit a potential game-tying three-pointer during Brooklyn's last possession.
