The Dallas Mavericks are on a bit of a fairytale run in the playoffs this season, in the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2011. Led by Luka Doncic, they managed to eliminate the No. 1 seed, the Phoenix Suns, in 7 games and are currently locked in a battle against the Golden State Warriors.
While they are 2-0 down in the current series, the feeling around the team remains one of optimism and the cohesiveness of the squad is best exemplified by their bench. Theo Pinson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and other players currently not suiting up have been an endless source of energy for the Mavs throughout this run.
However, their enthusiasm has brought problems along with it, the Mavericks organization has already been fined twice by the NBA for breaching ‘bench decorum’ rules. With the players on the bench constantly standing to support their teammates and sometimes infringing on the court, their actions have now led to a third fine, a hefty one at $100,000.
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/2QwEdJvNcY
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 22, 2022
The totality of the fines is now up to $175,000 during just these playoffs, but so far, it doesn’t seem to have changed the way the Mavericks players behave on the sidelines. There was a moment in Game 2 when Theo Pinson, who was standing in white on the sidelines, seemingly confused Steph Curry, who passed the ball in his direction mistaking him for a teammate.
The organization and the fanbase are surely not appreciative of this continued stance by the league, but it’s hard to argue that the league hasn’t been given reason to enact these fines. The bench energy has been credited with a lot of what Dallas has already achieved this postseason, and it will be crucial for them moving forward as well. How the team reacts remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure, all of Dallas will bring all the energy they can on Sunday when the Mavericks play a pivotal Game 3.
