Celtics' Grant Williams fined $20,000 for punching basketball into the stands during loss to Warriors

Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams has been fined $20,000 for punching a basketball into the stands during the team's loss to the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 10, the league announced on Monday. 

With 1:52 remaining in the fourth quarter, and the Celtics trailing by 17 points, the Warriors called a timeout to get their starters out of the Game. As the teams made their way to their respective benches, Williams punched the basketball into the first few rows of the seats. Though he did so more out of absent-minded frustration than malice, he was ejected from the Game. Any time a player puts the ball into the crowd with any sort of force, it's an automatic ejection. 

Williams finished with four points and two rebounds in what was a frustrating night for both himself and the team. Entering the Finals rematch, the Celtics had won 17 of their last 19 Games and were coming off a 27-point shellacking of the Phoenix Suns. Against the Warriors, though, they looked nothing like the dominant team they have been this season and reverted back to many of the mistakes that plagued them during the Finals.

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This is the second ejection of the season for Williams, who has developed a poor reputation with the referees. He is tied for the fourth-most technicals in the league with five, alongside stars such as Luka Doncic and Devin Booker. Early in the season, he was tossed from the team's loss to the Chicago Bulls after bumping into a referee while complaining about a call. On that occasion, he was suspended for one game. 

Williams and the Celtics will look to get back on track on Monday night when they continue their West Coast road trip with a match-up against the Los Angeles Clippers.