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Suns coach Monty Williams fined $15K for criticizing refs

Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams argues a call in the first half of Game 4 against the New Orleans Pelicans in an NBA basketball first-round playoff series in New Orleans, Sunday, April 24, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

NEW YORK (AP) — Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams has been fined $15,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating in Game 4 of the first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Williams made his comments to the media following the Suns’ 118-103 road loss Sunday.

He was upset by the disparity in foul shots — 42-15. Williams said “coaches shouldn’t have to come up to the microphone and feel like they’re going to get their head cut off for speaking the truth.

That’s a free-throw disparity.” It’s the third fine assessed in the past two days by the NBA for reactions to officiating involving a disparity in free throws favoring the home team.