Harden fined $25K for criticizing official

Houston Rockets star James Harden has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for criticizing official Scott Foster, the league announced.

Harden made the remarks after Houston's 111-106 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, calling Foster "rude and arrogant." The guard fouled out of the game in the fourth quarter.

He also suggested that Foster has a personal vendetta against him.

"It's lingering," Harden said. "It has to be looked at. For sure it's personal. For sure. I don't think he should be able to officiate our games anymore, honestly."

Harden's teammate Chris Paul also has a history with Foster, who was named the NBA's worst referee in a 2016 anonymous poll of players.