Clippers' Barnes fined $50K for directing obscenity at Harden's mother

Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes will pay a steep price for reportedly explicit comments he directed at James Harden's mother during Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinal against the Houston Rockets.

Barnes has been fined $50,000 by the NBA for the verbal altercation, which Barnes acknowledged while denying a rumor about what, specifically, was said.

Harden's mother, Monja Willis, also declined to specify what passed between her and Barnes, saying, "We'll leave that on the court."

Barnes said he hadn't realized he was jawing with Harden's mother - not that it should matter - adding, "We made our peace."

Willis confirmed that Barnes apologized afterwards, and that she accepted his apology.

Barnes has been tasked with guarding Harden for the majority of the series thus far, limiting the NBA's second-leading MVP vote-getter to 43 percent shooting and a minus-7 rating in the first two games.

It is the third fine Barnes has been leveled with for profanity directed towards fans this season alone. He took $25,000 hits for outbursts against fans in Washington (in December) and Phoenix (in January).

Perhaps by doubling the fine, the NBA hopes to finally teach Barnes his lesson.