NBA slaps Cavs Brown with $25,000 fine

CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has been fined $25,000 by the NBA for criticizing officials following Cleveland's last-second loss at Indiana on Tuesday night.

Brown, who will coach the Eastern Conference team at this weekend's All-Star game, went into a tirade about a call by referee Joey Crawford that awarded the Pacers two free throws and gave them a 96-95 win. Crawford called a foul on LeBron James, who was trying to stop an alley-oop pass to Indiana's Danny Granger.

Brown felt Crawford made a predetermined call against James, who had been involved in a similar call moments earlier with Granger.

On Wednesday, Brown said he did not regret making the comments and expected to be assessed his first fine as a head coach.

Following the game, Brown watched replays of the controversial finish before venting his anger toward Crawford, who earlier this season slapped three technical fouls on the Cavaliers in a five-minute span.

"I cannot imagine another worse call than that. LeBron was between his man and the basket. He went up in the air when the ball was tipped, and for that official to predetermine his call was awful," Brown said. "It was awful. That's why we lost the game. I never blame the officials. But that call was a predetermined call and he should have swallowed his whistle on it. But he did not.

"I don't care if I get fined. It is what it is. I saw the two plays, a bad call determined the outcome of the game. If they want to fine me for telling the truth, fine me."

Before Cleveland's win over Phoenix on Wednesday, Brown declined to again discuss his rant but didn't back down from his belief that the Cavs were robbed.

"I said what I said," Brown said. "I agree with what I said."

Last week, the league fined Boston coach Doc Rivers $15,000 for publicly criticizing officials.