Heat, Butler fined $15K for ‘obscene gesture’

  • Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
  • Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.

Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat have each been fined $15,000 for what the NBA deemed as “an obscene gesture” made by Butler in the Heat’s 97-94 Game 5 first-round closeout win over the Atlanta Hawks, the league announced Thursday.

Late in the second quarter, amid a personal 10-0 run by Heat guard Max Strus, Butler stood on the sideline and made a thrusting motion with his hips to celebrate his teammate’s success. The Heat later posted a video of Butler’s gesture to their social media account.

Butler, whose 30.5-point scoring average is the second best in the league this postseason, sat out Game 5 because of inflammation in his right knee

The winner of the Philadelphia 76ers’ and Toronto Raptors’ first-round series will face Miami in the second round.

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