NBA

How ironic is this -- Luka Doncic just got hit with a $35k fine on Friday ... after the NBA superstar made a money gesture toward a referee during the controversial ending of the Warriors vs. Mavericks game.

ICYMI ... the Mavericks hooper made the gesture after he missed a contested layup with 1.7 seconds left in the game at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday -- when he felt he was fouled, but didn't get a call.

Of course, Doncic's signal was clearly an expression of frustration -- after all, the Warriors got two free points in the third quarter after a questionable officiating decision ... and the Mavs ended up losing, 127-125.

Regardless of how the Mavs feel about the officiating that night, the league penalized the four-time All-Star minutes ago, saying the hand signal was an "inappropriate and unprofessional gesture."

Doncic wasn't the only Maverick pissed off at the refs  ... team owner Mark Cuban is protesting the loss, saying the officiating potentially cost them that game.

"Worst officiating non-call mistake possibly in the history of the NBA."

So yeah ... Cuban can expect a fine to come his way, too.

Mac McClung is a full-blown superstar following his incredible performance during All-Star Weekend last month -- the guy has gone from the G League to the big screen ... starring in a commercial with Vince Carter!!

The 24-year-old high-flying baller became a household name after stealing the show at the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and taking home the hardware over Kenyon Martin Jr., Trey Murphy and Jericho Sims ... which breathed life back into the event that, as of recently, lacked excitement.

Mac has been landing a ton of endorsements following his big win ... but the coolest might be his 30-second ad for the upcoming 'Dungeons and Dragons' movie that dropped on Friday -- 'cause Vinsanity himself got involved!!

Of course, Carter was also known for his rim-rattling abilities over the course of his career ... and put together one of the most iconic dunk contest performances when he won in 2000.

Naturally, Mac was nabbed to show off his dunking skills as he jumped over CGI flames in the ad ... and at the end, Vince gives the kid props on his hops -- almost like he was passing the torch to the young hooper.

BTW -- Mac is currently balling out in the G League for the Philadelphia 76ers' Delaware Blue Coats ... averaging 20 points a game this season.

Something tells us we ain't heard the last of Mac!!

U.S. Senator and former NBA star Bill Bradley is remembering his beloved teammate, Willis Reed, following the Knicks legend's tragic passing this week ... saying he'll always remember "The Captain" as "a man with great dignity and strength."

Bradley -- who served as a United States Senator of New Jersey (1979 to 1997) after retiring from the NBA -- joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) where he talked about his teammate who remained his friend long after their playing days were over.

Of course, Reed and Bradley won two titles together ('70 & '73) during their stellar careers in The Big Apple ... but Bill believes a big reason why the Knicks took home their first title in 1970 was because Reed shocked everyone and suited up for Game 7, despite being injured.

"He was a tremendous leader," Bradley said. "And, you don't always have players who so overtly put their whole career on the line for their teammates, which is what he did in 1970."

"We won the championship and it was partly inspired by Willis' courage and dedication to his team," Bradley said. "You really just felt everything elevate in The Garden."

Bradley didn't only star on the pro level ... he was one of the greatest college basketball players ever.

His alma mater, Princeton, a #15-seed, will face #6-seed Creighton in the Sweet 16 on Friday ... after the team pulled off two upset wins over Arizona and Missouri last week.

Bradley -- an AP College Player of the Year who also won Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA tourney in 1965 -- doesn't believe the Cinderella run has to end here ... he wholeheartedly believes the Tigers can win.

"They stand a great chance," the 79-year-old said.

"They're playing seemingly well. I like the team and, of course, I respect Mitch a lot and it's great for the university."

Now, the Senator isn't guaranteeing Princeton's going to the Final Four, but like he says ... "anything is possible in sports."

Chevy Chase met LeBron James for the first time Wednesday night at the Suns-Lakers game -- and the two icons seemed to really hit it off, sharing a warm embrace with one another on the court at Crypto.com Arena.

Chase -- a longtime Lakers fan who frequented games during the "Showtime Era" -- was invited by Jeanie Buss and Linda Rambis, wife of Kurt Rambis, to attend the Western Conference showdown between Phoenix and L.A.

Chevy didn't get to see LeBron play -- King James is still sidelined with a foot injury -- but the 79-year-old comedian got some face time with the Lakers superstar nonetheless ... and the guys really seemed to enjoy their interaction.

Chase hit up the game with his agent, Darren Prince -- and when he wasn't chatting with LeBron, he was taking pics courtside with Jeanie, and her fiancé, actor/comedian Jay Mohr.

Chevy wasn't the only legend at the game ... rapper Lil Wayne and NFL free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. were also courtside watching Devin Booker and Chris Paul go at it with Anthony Davis.

Mark Cuban ripped the NBA refs who officiated his team's Wednesday night game against the Warriors, accusing the crew of screwing up a critical call in a crucial game, potentially costing the squad a win (and maybe even a playoff berth), and now his Mavs are protesting the 127-125 loss.

The call in question went down in the waning moments of the 3rd quarter at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, when Warriors center Kevon Looney had an uncontested dunk on an inbound out of a timeout because the Mavs were lined up on the wrong side of the court, which Cuban blames on the refs.

"For those wondering about the play with 1:54 to go on the 3rd, let me explain what happened," Cuban tweeted. "The ref called Mavs ball. The announcer announced it. Then there was a timeout. During the time out the official changed the call and never told us."

He continued ... "Then when they saw us line up as if it were our ball, he just gave the ball to the warriors. "Never said a word to us. They got an easy basketball. Crazy that it would matter in a 2-point game."

Cuban called it the "worst officiating non call mistake possibly in the history of the NBA," adding, "All they had to do was tell us and they didn't."

"There was quite a few people out of position," Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said. "It's correctable, but you first have to admit there was a mistake."

After the game, crew chief Sean Wright gave the refs side of the story, and they're saying they didn't do anything wrong.

"Initially on the floor, the original signal was in fact Golden State ball as this can be seen on video," Wright told The Athletic. "There is a second signal but that signal is for a mandatory timeout that was due to the Mavs."

And, sure enough, video seems to support what the officiating crew is saying.

Meanwhile, GSW coach Steve Kerr said he was confused when he saw the Mavs lined up on the other end of the court because he felt it was pretty clear the Warriors were getting possession of the ball.

There was clearly no love lost for Ja Morant in Memphis during his recent suspension ... 'cause the second he returned to action for the Grizzlies, he was greeted with a massive standing ovation.

Ja -- after sitting out nearly the entire month of March for posting a video that showed him brandishing a gun at a Colorado gentleman's club -- made his long-awaited return to the NBA hardwood on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets ... and the crowd went crazy after seeing him.

He came off the bench with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter ... and the nearly 18,000 fans at FedExForum in Memphis got on their feet to show they still supported him.

And, it didn't take long for the star point guard to give them more to cheer about -- minutes after he checked into the game, he dunked all over Houston's Kenyon Martin Jr.

Some of Ja's family was in attendance for the big night -- including his father, Tee, who wore a sweatshirt with an image of Morant and the word "Redemption."

Morant ultimately played 23 minutes in the game, scoring 17 points ... helping lead Memphis to a 130-125 victory.

Patrick Beverley is channeling his inner Rocky Balboa during the NBA season ... admitting he has ZERO sex the night before games -- 'cause he wants to keep his legs fresh!!

The Chicago Bulls guard revealed his routine on Barstool Sports' 'Pat Bev' podcast this week ... when his cohost, Rone, brought up how Larsa Pippen claimed she and Scottie used to have sex four times a night during their 23-year marriage -- and asked Pat how much bangin' is too much bangin'.

That's when Pat opened up on his own sex life ... saying, "So I don’t have sex night[s] before games."

As it turns out, Pat agrees with the superstition Rocky learned from his old trainer, Mick, in the classic boxing movies ... 'cause he wants to make sure he's 100% for tipoff.

"I wanna have fresh [legs], you know what I’m saying?" he added.

Beverley admits his wife, Mandana Bolourchi, isn't too crazy about the idea ... but at the end of the day, he's sticking to his guns.

"Wifey gonna kill me, though," Pat said. "It be hard, though, because you got games every other day and s***. Shoutout to [the] wifey, man."

Beverley's strategy seems to be working ... 'cause he's been playing well after joining the Bulls in February, and they've racked up solid wins as they fight for a spot in the playoffs.

Buddy Hield has just been fined $25,000 by the NBA ... and it's all 'cause he flipped off someone during the Pacers vs. Hornets game on Monday night.

League Exec Joe Dumars announced the punishment for the Indiana star on Wednesday afternoon ... after he was spotted shootin' the bird not once, but twice while on his team's bench.

The incident occurred with 11:30 left in the second quarter of the game ... as Hield was sitting next to Tyrese Haliburton.

Cameras showed Buddy appeared to be locked in on something ... before he discreetly tried to flash his left middle finger. Eventually, he just let the single-barrel salute fly.

Unclear who Hield was flipping off or what caused him to make the gesture ... but he seemed to crack a sly smile in the video, so it's possible it was all in jest.

Scary moment for Paul George on Tuesday night ... he suffered a gnarly knee injury in the Clippers' game against the Thunder -- and his status going forward is now in question.

George hurt his leg in the fourth quarter of the contest against OKC -- as he was coming down from grabbing a rebound.

Broadcast cameras showed when he landed on the court, he awkwardly bumped into Luguentz Dort ... causing his knee to bend backward.

The 32-year-old immediately crumpled to the court in pain. Trainers tended to him for several minutes, before they helped him off the floor. George didn't appear able to put any pressure on the leg.

Clips head coach Ty Lue didn't have much of an update on his star after the game -- but, reportedly, George was seen leaving Crypto.com Arena on a cart with his leg locked in an extended position.

Of course, George is no stranger to severe injuries ... back in 2014, he suffered a gruesome broken leg while playing for Team USA. The knee he injured Tuesday was a part of that same leg, though the two ailments don't appear to be related.

The Clippers ended up losing the game without George -- and they'll certainly need him moving forward if they want to avoid more of that ... they're currently in a fight with seven or eight other teams vying for some of the last spots in the playoffs.

Get well soon, PG.

Kevin Garnett revealed he squashed his beef with former teammate Ray Allen because of Kobe Bryant ... saying the tragic and unexpected death of the NBA icon made him realize life's too short to be angry.

Quick refresher ... Allen, KG, and Paul Pierce were teammates with the Boston Celtics, where they won the NBA title together in 2008.

However, their Big 3 was split up when Ray left for the Miami Heat in 2012 ... a move that really pissed off KG, who felt some type of way when the 10-time All-Star chose their conference rival over him and Paul.

"What made the Ray situation so prolific with us is because the structure we built in Boston, the three of us built that," Garnett told Kevin Hart on his "Cold as Balls" show this week. "So if it was one team we had an issue with, it was Miami."

"I wasn't looking at it like, better business decision for Ray, [or] Ray has a chance to get another ring -- I ain't take on none of that! I was in my own feelings!"

But, when Kobe passed away on January 26, 2020, it changed Garnett's whole mindset ... culminating with the former friends turned enemies coexisting together, peacefully, at the NBA's 75th Anniversary event, as well as hugging it out at KG's jersey retirement ceremony in 2022.

“The passing of Kob and all of us getting older helped me understand that life is not given to none of us," the hooper said.

"It would have f***ed with me if something were to happen to Ray and I didn’t get a chance to amend this."

"I got off the bulls***."

Dak Prescott's plant leg just got a whole lot better lookin' -- TMZ Sports has learned the Dallas Cowboys superstar got it tatted over the weekend ... with tributes to his mom, brother, Kobe Bryant and more.

The quarterback hit up Andres Ortega out at Onder Ink in Arizona just days after his star wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb, got a back piece done by the artist -- and Prescott came away from the shop with a massive new tattoo.

The artwork covers nearly his entire right leg -- and it features a ton of imagery that's near and dear to the 29-year-old's heart.

The picture of the moose is a nod to his brother, Jace, who died by suicide in 2020. The photo of a Pegasus honors his mother, Peggy, who passed away from cancer in 2013.

The tattoo also pays homage to several sports icons -- there's images of a Black Mamba for Kobe, a Jumpman logo for Michael Jordan ... and a picture of Muhammad Ali.

The tat also features Daffy Duck doing Dak's signature touchdown celebration; Dallas' skyline; and a sign from the Pine Creek Estates mobile home park in Louisiana where Prescott grew up.

Draymond Green is speaking out on the rumors surrounding his teammate Andrew Wiggins ... saying it doesn't matter if it's true or not, the "nosy" and "disgusting" people need to mind their business.

Wiggins -- who was traded to the Golden State Warriors in 2020 -- stepped away from the team after their Feb. 13 game (right before the All-Star break) due to a personal matter.

The situation is really intense, according to an anonymous player, who told The Athletic, "What he’s dealing with is some real s***."

Rumors about Wiggins' absence have been circulating social media ... and Green, his teammate, has seen some of what's been said, and he's pissed.

"I'm not here to say whether it's true or false. I don't know -- not my business!!" Green said Tuesday on his podcast. "But point being, it's not yours either!!"

"Like y'all are so thirsty to know what's going on in someone's life that THAT becomes the thing?!"

The 4-time NBA champ continued to rip those spreading rumors without evidence -- calling them insane and disgusting for investigating Wiggins' personal life.

"That's insane!! That's nuts!! The fact that people are so nosy and so consumed on what someone else do in their life, not basketball, in their life that THAT is the story ... with no confirmation of nothing?! Sometimes people disgust me," the 33-year-old said.

"I don't think it matters for the world to ever know if it is [true] or isn't."

Wiggins has yet to respond to any of the gossip ... but his girlfriend, Mychal Johnson, recently tweeted, "Literally the farthest thing from the truth. It’s sad y’all even doing this."

Willis Reed will be honored by the NBA tonight ... with the Association holding a leaguewide moment of silence for the late Knicks legend, TMZ Sports has learned.

Our sources tell us there will be a pause to reflect on the Hall of Famer's passing prior to the tipoff of all six scheduled games Tuesday night.

Some of the games on tonight's slate include the Celtics vs. Kings and Cavaliers vs. Nets.

The Knicks don't play ... they're back in action on Wednesday, when they'll face the Heat.

Of course, Reed died at the age of 80 on Tuesday after battling health issues, including congestive heart failure.

Willis was a beloved figure, especially in New York, and news of his death rocked the league.

Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement addressing Reed's passing, calling him "the ultimate team player and consummate leader."

In fact, Silver said his first NBA memories were of watching Willis as a young boy.

"My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks’ championship teams in the early 1970s.  He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports," the statement read in part.

In addition to the moment of silence, it's all but guaranteed the Knicks will also honor their Captain.

Ja Morant is adamantly denying he has a drinking problem after the NBA concluded he was intoxicated when he flashed a gun on Instagram earlier this month ... telling reporters alcohol was NOT the reason he entered a counseling program.

Morant spoke publicly for the first time since rejoining the Grizzlies this week -- and the Memphis superstar was asked if alcohol played a role in his decision-making that ultimately led to his eight-game suspension.

"Never had an alcohol problem," Morant said. "I didn't go there for alcohol. I went there for counseling. To learn how to manage stress and cope with stress in a positive way, instead of ways how I tried to deal with it before that caused me to make mistakes."

"[The] only problem with me right now is just getting into a space mentally that I'm very comfortable in and I feel good at. That's why I made the decision to take time away and go to counseling. That helped me learn a lot of things."

Ja said he contemplated stepping away from the NBA before he was engulfed in drama ... admitting he was afraid to leave the team. But the two-time All-Star says he's glad he made the decision to address his mental health.

Morant -- who was on the bench for Memphis on Monday, but didn't play in the game against the Mavs -- said now that he's back around his teammates, he's focused on improving himself and working toward getting back out there on the court.

Police still have not cracked the case involving the 2018 killing of Richard Jefferson's father ... but now, they're hoping a big monetary reward can help change that.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Dept. Lt. Patricia Thomas said on Tuesday they're offering $20,000 to anyone who can assist them in solving the four-year-old case.

Thomas told reporters at a news conference she and investigators believe there are people still out there who saw the suspects that shot 65-year-old Richard Jefferson Sr. in Compton, CA back on Sept. 19, 2018.

She said investigators believe a car full of gang members fired on the former NBA player's father while he was talking with neighbors -- mistakenly thinking he was part of a rival gang.

Thomas urged anyone with info to call the homicide bureau at 323-890-5500.

Jefferson Sr.'s brother, Kenneth, also spoke at the news conference -- and pleaded for anyone with information to come forward as well.

Knicks legend Willis Reed, arguably the greatest player in the history of the organization, has died at the age of 80, the team confirmed on Tuesday.

No cause of death was reaveled ... but Reed had been ill, battling congestive heart failure, longtime NYC columnist Peter Vescey reported.

"The Knicks organization is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved Captain, Willis Reed," the Knicks said in a statement. "As we mourn, we will always strive to uphold the standards he left behind -- the unmatched leadership, sacrifice and work ethic that personified him as a champion among champions."

"His is a legacy that will live forever. We ask everyone to please respect the family’s privacy during this difficult time."

Simply put, Willis was one of the best hoopers to ever step foot on the hardwood.

Reed, a 6'10" center, was drafted by the Knicks with the tenth overall pick in the 1964 NBA Draft. Over his 10-season career, he averaged nearly 19 points and 13 rebounds. Willis was a 7x All-Star, 2x NBA Finals MVP and the 1970 NBA MVP.

Willis' most famous moment came during Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. The Knicks and Lakers were knotted at three games apiece, with the title on the line. Reed missed Game 6 with a severe thigh injury, and almost no one expected the big man to play in the deciding game.

But, to the amazement of thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden, Reed limped onto the court during warmups, prompting the crowd to erupt. Willis hit the first two shots for the Knicks, and it was the only time he scored in the game.

However, Reed's presence gave his Knicks teammates the lift they needed to down Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, and Jerry West's Lakers squad, 113-99. It was the Knickerbockers' first title.

NYK then won another championship three years later in 1973.

After retiring from the NBA in '74, Reed was hired by the Knicks as head coach in '77. His coaching stint in NY didn't last very long. In 1981, Willis went back to college, where he coached Creighton. He then had stints as an assistant coach with the Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings.

In 1988, Reed was again named an NBA head coach when he was hired as the New Jersey Nets' headman.

The Knicks' last title was in 1973 ... and the franchise recently celebrated the 50-year anniversary, welcoming back stars from the team like Walt Frazier. Sadly, Reed, because of health issues, wasn't able to make it to NYC for the event.

The Garden played a pretaped message from the legendary hooper ... and the crowd loved it.

NBA commish Adam Silver released a statement on the legend's passing ... saying, "Willis Reed was the ultimate team player and consummate leader."

"My earliest and fondest memories of NBA basketball are of watching Willis, who embodied the winning spirit that defined the New York Knicks' championship teams in the early 1970s. He played the game with remarkable passion and determination, and his inspiring comeback in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals remains one of the most iconic moments in all of sports."

"We send our deepest condolences to Willis' wife, Gail, his family and his many friends and fans."

He may now be gone ... but Reed's #19 will forever hang in the rafters of the World's Most Famous Arena.