Lakers' Luke Walton has no regrets about ejection despite $15K fine

ByBaxter Holmes ESPN logo
Thursday, December 15, 2016

NEW YORK --Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton was fined $15,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for "verbally abusing a game official and not leaving the court in a timely manner after his ejection" in Monday's 116-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings.



Walton was ejected for shouting at the officials after Kings center DeMarcus Cousins and Lakers forward Julius Randle got tangled up and both fell to the court.



No foul was called on the play, and Walton immediately voiced his displeasure to the officials before being ejected. He could be seen in replays yelling what appeared to be obscenities in the direction of an official, and Walton was restrained by Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson.



Before his team faced the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Wednesday, Walton said he had no regrets about his actions.



"No. It's the same thing I said after the game: If my guys aren't getting what I feel is treated right, then I'm going to stand up for them," Walton said. "That's what we do as a team. I was always raised that a team is a family. You stand up for your family, you stand up for your brothers. So as a head coach, that's what I'm going to do every time for my guys."



Randle praised Walton after Monday's game.



"Oh, I love Coach, man," Randle said. "Coach, that's my guy. He backs me up with everything. He has all of our backs 100 percent. I love Coach. He has our back 100 percent. It makes you want to go out there and bust your butt for him."



Walton, 36, is the youngest head coach in the NBA. He's in his first year leading the Lakers after spending two seasons as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors.

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