NBA Slaps Thunder’s Jalen Williams With $25,000 Fine Over Profane Shirt
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams is feeling the sting in his wallet after the NBA fined him $25,000 for wearing clothing with profane language during a postgame interview.
The league announced the penalty Monday.
Williams wore a shirt bearing the words "F – k Art, Lets Dance" following the Thunder’s dominant 125-93 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series.
The fine comes despite Williams’ stellar performance in the series-clinching win. The young guard poured in 24 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and dished out 7 assists while shooting an impressive 58.8% from the field.
Williams has emerged as one of the Thunder’s brightest stars this season. The 6-foot-6 guard earned his first All-Star selection while averaging 21.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists during the regular season.
His contributions helped Oklahoma City secure the league’s best record at 68-14.
Thunder Crush Nuggets in Game 7 Blowout
The Thunder completely dominated the defending champion Nuggets in the decisive Game 7.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 35 points, while rookie Chet Holmgren contributed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Oklahoma City blew the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Denver 37-26 and eventually building a staggering 43-point lead.
"There’s not many games, you wake up in the morning and you know that you’re going to remember the game for the rest of your life, and Game 7 is one of them," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "To be able to focus through that and perform the way these guys did today was very impressive."
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokic finished with 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists in a relatively quiet performance by his lofty standards.
Aaron Gordon, who hit the game-winner against OKC in Game 1, played through a strained left hamstring but managed just 8 points in 24 minutes.
Despite the lopsided victory, Daigneault showed respect for the Nuggets afterward.
"We’re better now than we were at the beginning of the series, and it’s because of them," he said. "They pushed us to the limit."
With the win, the Thunder advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2016.
They’ll host the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 1 on Tuesday, looking to continue their remarkable playoff run with their young, exciting core.
