NBA fines Nuggets' Westbrook $35,000 for 'obscene gesture'

NEW YORK, United States — The NBA fined Denver guard Russell Westbrook $35,000 on Friday (Saturday, Manila time) for making an obscene gesture during the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 145-118 loss to the New York Knicks earlier in the week.

NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars announced the fine without elaborating on the incident, in which Westbrook appeared to flash his middle finger toward the Knicks bench after drilling a three-pointer from the corner.

Moments before Westbrook had seen a shot blocked by New York's Josh Hart, with several Knicks players indicating they thought Westbrook should have been called for travelling.

Westbrook scored 27 points off the bench -- 24 of them in the fourth quarter -- to lead the Nuggets in the defeat.

The veteran point guard is averaging 12.2 points and 5.9 assists per game for the Nuggets this season and on November 19 became the first player in NBA history to amass 200 career triple-doubles with a 12-point, 10-rebound, 14-assist performance in a victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.