"Get a $25k fine for telling the truth" - NBA fans react to DeMar DeRozan's hefty fine for public criticism of referees post Kings game

NBA fans reacted on social media to DeMar DeRozan being fined for his recent comments towards referees. The Sacramento Kings forward publicly criticized the officiating following a 116-110 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.

In a postgame interview, DeRozan said that "the refs were terrible; terrible as s**t. It's as simple as that," while expressing frustration after the Kings lost a nine-point lead going into the fourth quarter.

The NBA announced on Friday that DeRozan was being fined $25,000 for his statements. The news drew a wide range of reactions from passionate fans on X.

"Yeah we're bad at our job lol now pay us money," one fan said.

Another fan wrote, "When will they ever hold the refs accountable."

Many fans believe the NBA protects officials from criticism by punishing players who are outspoken. They feel that there's a double standard where players are held accountable but the same doesn't apply to referees.

According to the NBA's commissioner, Adam Silver, referees are held accountable and disciplined for missed calls and critical errors.

That being said, their discipline is administered in private and not made publicly known, leading to the misunderstanding. DeMar DeRozan's fine reinforces a negative perception of officials and the reactions of fans on X are an example of that.

One user said, "They need to hold the refs accountable this is f**king ridiculous. like no wonder we becoming the laughing stock of pro leagues."

Another wrote, "Soft," referring to the NBA while using a popular GIF of Kobe Bryant.

"Get a $25k fine for telling the truth," said one fan.

DeMar DeRozan has strong performance as Kings come up short against the Nuggets

The Sacramento Kings were in Denver to take on the Nuggets this Wednesday, March 5. The Kings were on a four-game winning streak going into the game, which they led confidently for most of regulation time.

The Nuggets were just 2-3 in their last five games but mounted an impressive comeback in the fourth quarter to steal the game, 116-110.

The win was mainly thanks to the performances of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook, but it took staving off some strong performances on the other side. One in particular was DeMar DeRozan's, who had his second-highest scoring game of the season with 35 points, as well as six rebounds and five assists.

NBA: Sacramento Kings at Denver Nuggets - Source: Imagn

His performance came with several important shots late in the third quarter to keep the Kings' lead going into the fourth. DeRozan delivered more clutch buckets going into the final minutes of the fourth quarter, where the Kings failed to re-secure the lead they had the majority of the game.