The NBA fined Nic Claxton $25,000 for throwing the ball into the stands in the Nets’ 101-94 defeat of the Toronto Raptors on Thursday at Scotiabank Arena.
With 8:46 left in the second quarter, Claxton, 25, was driving to the rim in transition when he was intentionally fouled by Kelly Olynyk near the top of the key. The center, still frustrated about a no-call on his missed shot the prior possession, then flipped the ball into the stands.
The NBA does not allow players to toss balls into the stands, so Claxton was assessed a technical foul and promptly ejected. He left the game with seven points, five rebounds and one block in 11 minutes. It was his third ejection in 27 appearances this season.
“He knows he has to be better. Especially this one,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “You can control your frustrations. That’s no reason to do that. I understand that we all have emotions, but the team needs him. His teammates need him. And he knows it.”
Claxton nearly threw a seat cushion leaving the court, but Nets assistant coach Juwan Howard was there to check Claxton and save him from further discipline.
“I just had a mental lapse, and I just launched the ball in the crowd. And I can’t let my emotions get to that point. I got to be there for my team,” Claxton said.
Brooklyn still dominated the glass 53-34 despite not having Claxton for most of the night. Second-year forward Noah Clowney stepped up off the bench, as he knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and finished with 11 points and nine rebounds in 37 minutes.
Veteran forward Cam Johnson, continuing to increase his trade value across the league, added a game-high 33 points and a season-high 10 rebounds. Fifteen of his points came in the fourth quarter.
“Just really trying to win the game is really what it comes down to,” Johnson said. “We didn’t have a good feeling after that Cleveland game, so we wanted to make sure we came out here and got a dub. To get a win like this [is big].”
Fernandez was also impressed with Johnson’s versatility in the win, as he also recorded six assists and two blocks.
“He creates a lot of attention because he moves, and teams have to guard him that way,” Fernandez said. “You get other guys open just because of his ability to get himself open and move around. So, his performance, it’s a great line.”
