Heat's Jimmy Butler fined 35K for role in altercation with Pacers' T.J. Warren

It has taken Jimmy Butler only a few months to become part of the recent feud between the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.

On Friday, the NBA fined Butler $35,000 for his role in an on-court altercation with Pacers forward T.J. Warren. Both players were fined $25,000 and Butler landed an extra $10,000 penalty because of instigating the incident on social-media a few hours afterward.

The fines stem from Warren being ejected in the third quarter of the Heat’s 122-108 victory Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. He was tossed after picking up his second technical foul for taunting Butler for being called for an offensive foul.

As Warren made his way off the court, Butler blew kisses in his direction.

"I mean, to me, I think it's tough for him, because I can guard him and he can't guard me," Butler said in the postgame interview with reporters in Indianapolis. "Because at the end of the day that's what it come down to."

After the game, Butler took things to social-media. On his Instagram page, he posted a picture of the Heat’s next game against the Pacers. They play March 20 in Indianapolis.

“He’s not nowhere near me,” Butler said. “If I was their coach, I would never put him on me. Put somebody else on me.”

It is the latest of several incidents between the Heat and Pacers in the past 10 years. The teams met three consecutive years in the playoffs from 2011-14, including twice in the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat won all three series.

The memorable moments included a flagrant foul by Heat forward Udonis Haslem that left Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough bloodied. It was in retaliation to Hansbrough's hard foul on the Heat's Dwyane Wade earlier in the series. There was also Pacers guard Lance Stephenson infamously blowing in LeBron James' ear on the court