Knicks Guard Smith fined, J.R. Smith is being singled out for more than just his recent shooting woes.
The Knicks shooting guard was fined by the NBA $5,000 for flopping late in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against Indiana on Sunday on a play in which Smith was trying to fight through a screen set by David West while tracking Lance Stephenson.
After running into West, Smith fell hard to the floor, in a somewhat overstated manner, drawing a foul on the play and the ire of the league office, which penalized him on Friday.
The NBA has increased its penalties for flopping this season and has continued its vigilance this postseason with Smith becoming the third player to be fined after Indiana's Jeff Pendergraph and Oklahoma City's Derek Fisher.
Smith, the league's Sixth Man of the Year, has been mired in a shooting slump amid rumors that he's doing more partying than practicing. He recently made front page news with tales of him carousing with singer Rihanna at a Manhattan hot spot after he shot 3-for-15 with eight points in the Knicks Game 2 win against Indiana on Tuesday.
Smith is shooting just 26.3% from the field over his last five games. Now, Smith is in danger of seeing his minutes cut after coach Mike Woodson made it clear during a recent radio interview that he would sit the free-spirited guard if he continues to struggle. And that was before the fine was handed down by the NBA for flopping.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Knicks Guard Smith fined
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