Desmond Bane’s wallet just got a whole lot lighter, and it seems like he’s developing a rather expensive habit of turning basketballs into projectiles. The NBA slapped the Orlando Magic guard with a hefty $35,000 fine for treating OG Anunoby like a human backboard during their loss to the New York Knicks. Let’s be honest, it was less of a “pass” and more of a “personal statement” delivered via vulcanized rubber.
The incident went down in the fourth quarter at the legendary Madison Square Garden. Anunoby was on a fast break, looking to score, when he got tangled up with Jalen Suggs and hit the deck. Bane, arriving late to the party, decided to grab the loose ball and, instead of handing it to the ref, wound up and chucked it squarely at a defenseless Anunoby on the floor. It wasn’t just a casual toss, folks. He put some real mustard on that thing.
Anunoby, understandably confused and a little ticked off, jumped up and gave Bane a shove. The two were quickly separated before things could escalate into a full-blown “Malice at the Palace” reunion tour. Bane was hit with a technical foul, and the game moved on. But the league office, as we now know, was watching.
Bane’s History Of Hostility
If this all feels a bit like déjà vu, it’s because it is. This isn’t Bane’s first rodeo when it comes to questionable ball-handling etiquette. Just last month, he was ejected from a game against the Atlanta Hawks for a similar stunt involving Onyeka Okongwu. After a hard foul, Bane took the ball and forcefully bounced it off Okongwu, who was on the ground. That little outburst earned him a flagrant foul and an early trip to the showers.
You have to wonder what’s going through his head. Is this a new strategy? A weird form of intimidation? Whatever the reason, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is clearly not a fan, and he’s using Bane’s bank account to make his point.
Anunoby’s Amusing Aftermath
For his part, Anunoby seemed to find the whole thing more amusing than malicious. After the game, he told reporters, “I was confused at first, then it was funny. I like Desmond… He’s a good dude.” He even joked that he “should have caught it.” It is good to see he has a sense of humor about getting a basketball fired at his back.
The Knicks got the last laugh, securing a 106-100 victory. Bane finished with a respectable 16 points, but his most memorable play of the night is one that will cost him dearly. For a player in his first season with the Magic, averaging a solid 18.3 points per game, this is the kind of on-court drama the team could do without, especially after losing star Franz Wagner to an ankle injury in the same game.
Maybe it’s time for the Magic coaching staff to have a little chat with Bane. Perhaps they can suggest a new hobby to relieve his frustration. Squeezing a stress ball, maybe? Or, you know, just passing the ball to the official like everyone else. It would certainly be cheaper.
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