NEW YORK, Feb 7 — A profanity-laced tirade brought Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr a US$25,000 (RM110,900) fine from the NBA yesterday for verbal abuse of referees and delaying leaving the court.

Kerr aroused the ire of official Bill Spooner with 3:34 remaining in the third quarter of Golden State's 109-106 overtime loss at Sacramento on Saturday.

Kerr, the 2016 NBA Coach of the Year, was ejected with the Warriors trailing 75-73 and had to be restrained near midcourt by Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown as he moved towards Spooner.

Irate and swearing, Kerr confronted Spooner after a pair of loose ball fouls whistled 18 seconds apart on Kevon Looney and a technical foul called on Draymond Green for arguing over the call. 

"I was mad about a lot of things, but I got what I deserved,” said Kerr, who took his time leaving the court after being ejected. "I deserved to be ejected, so I was, so I have no complaints.” — AFP