Rockets owner Leslie Alexander fined $100,000 day after yelling at ref

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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

The NBA has fined Rockets owner Leslie Alexander $100,000, one day after he left his courtside seat during live game action to yell at referee Bill Kennedy in the final seconds of the first quarter of Houston's 105-99 series-clinching Game 5 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night.

As Kennedy stood watching a play, Alexander got up from his seat next to the national television table. Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon tried to grab the owner's arm, but he kept walking. Alexander stood behind Kennedy for less than five seconds before walking away. Kennedy did turn his head as Alexander reversed course.

It appeared Alexander was complaining about a call that wasn't made before he sat back down.

Alexander, who is normally mild-mannered during games, declined to discuss much about the scene, saying at halftime only that he "can't talk about it" and that he was "upset, really upset."

After the incident, NBA spokesman Mike Bass issued a statement saying that "an investigation is underway."

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