Rivers apologizes after $25K fine for tossing seat cushion into stands
The NBA's disciplinary department was busy Thursday afternoon. Just after levying a $10,000 fine on Paul George for criticizing referees, the league came down harder on Los Angeles Clippers guard Austin Rivers, fining him $25,000 for throwing a seat cushion into the stands during Wednesday's win over the Sacramento Kings.
The incident occurred with 7:47 left in the game. The cushion reportedly hit a woman in the second row, who experienced discomfort in her eyes as a result, according to USA Today's Sam Amick.
Rivers apologized for the incident on Thursday, before the Clippers faced the Dallas Mavericks.
"The pillow was light and it just flew into the air backwards. I didn't really look when it went into the crowd," Rivers told reporters. "I actually stood up for a second and I was like, 'I apologize. I didn't mean to do that.'
"It was not my intention to hurt any fan. No fan should go to the game and have to worry about something hitting them in the face ... (the fan) was very nice about it. The bottom line was, it was an accident. I didn't throw anything at anybody."
The NBA released a wide angle of the video, and it appears clearly that Rivers threw the cushion in frustration, not deliberately at anyone. The league has a zero-tolerance policy with regards to any objects going back and forth between players and fans, more than a decade after the notorious Pacers-Pistons brawl of 2004.
Rivers was 0-for-3 from the floor in 16 minutes during Wednesday's game, scoring three points from the foul line.