NBA fines Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson $50K for behavior toward officials

Field Level Media
01 Feb 2026, 08:35 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

The NBA fined Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson $50,000 for 'aggressively pursuing, berating, and making inadvertent contact with a game official' during a road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.

James Jones, the NBA's head of basketball operations, made the announcement on Saturday.

Atkinson, who was called for his first technical with 4:10 remaining in the first quarter, was ejected from the game for his second technical with 10:59 left in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers lost 126-113 to end a five-game winning streak.

The reigning NBA Coach of the Year, Atkinson apparently was upset when no foul was called on the Suns' Collin Gillespie, who was guarding the Cavaliers' Sam Merrill. Atkinson went on the court and yelled at the officials, bumping into an official but saying later that it was not on purpose.

'I think that was incidental,' Atkinson said after the game, per Cleveland.com. 'There was no intention. I think we touched. I wouldn't say bumped. I'd argue with you on that.'

He took issue with how the entire game was officiated.

'We had one free throw after three quarters against a team that (is 26th in fouls),' Atkinson said, per Cleveland.com. 'And the second free throw we got was after a flop. I'm not pleased. I thought the game got out of hand, quite honestly. Parts of the game seemed circus-like, quite honestly. I don't know if that's what we want as a league.

Cleveland was 1-for-2 at the foul line after three quarters and finished 8 of 11; Phoenix was 13 of 18. The Cavaliers were whistled for 17 personal fouls, the Suns 19.

--Field Level Media

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