Cavaliers head coach Atkinson penalized $50,000 for conduct following ejection

NEW YORK — Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson has been fined $50,000 by the NBA for “aggressively pursuing, berating, and making inadvertent contact with a game official” during a game on Friday night.

The announcement was made on Saturday by James Jones, the NBA’s head of basketball operations.

This incident occurred after Atkinson received his second technical foul and was ejected from the game with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter of a 126-113 defeat to the Phoenix Suns.

Atkinson seemed to express frustration regarding a no-call involving Suns guard Collin Gillespie, who was closely defending Sam Merrill on the perimeter.

The defeat ended Cleveland’s five-game winning streak. The Cavaliers are set to compete again on Sunday against the Blazers.