Stan Van Gundy Fined $15,000 for Public Criticism of Officiating

Detroit Pistons head coach and president Stan Van Gundy was fined $15,000 for public criticism of officiating. (Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports)  It's no secret the relations between players and referees have dwindled this season due to a number of questionable calls that have changed the outcome of many games throughout the league, and Detroit Pistons' head coach and President of Basketball Operations Stan Van Gundy is just the latest coach to speak out on it. After the Pistons' 100-87 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers Saturday night, SVG didn't mince words when addressing the questionable officiating, according to the Detroit News' Rod Beard:

“They held and grabbed on every play and they got away with fouls all over the place. We got absolutely screwed all night.

I’ve been here for four years and I’ve been many more years before that and I’ve never come in after a game (like this) — never. I might have talked about one call, but I’ve never come in after a game and talked like this. That was embarrassing — we got absolutely screwed tonight.

Our guys were fighting hard and playing hard. I’ve gotten on them at times, but they played really hard and fought really hard. Portland played hard, too, but it’s a lot easier to play hard when you can get away with everything they got away with.”

  Along with criticizing some of the calls against his team, he also acknowledged the abundance of no-calls:

“(Officials say) ‘If I saw it, I would have called it’ — well, you know what? Your damn job is to see it. Referees, I love that. That’s an excuse: ‘I didn’t see it.’

“Why the hell do we have you out there? (Kennard) is the guy cutting — that’s where the ball is being passed. It’s not happening on the weak side of the floor. It’s embarrassing for them and for the league that they’re not going to make that call.”

Van Gundy was subsequently fined $15,000 for the post-game explosion in a season where a player or coach getting fined due to criticizing officiating has become quite commonplace. Featured Image - (Paul Sancya/AP)