NBA fines Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards after lashing out at officiating: 'The refs was bad tonight'

The NBA handed down a hefty fine after Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards voiced his frustration with the way Monday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder was officiated.

The league fined Edwards, the top overall selection of the 2020 NBA Draft, $40,000 for his recent outburst during the Timberwolves' 107-101 win over the Thunder. Edwards finished the game with four free throw attempts, but he appeared to believe he should have made several more trips to the foul line.

Edwards proceeds to describe the officiating as "terrible" and "bad."

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Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves looks on during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum on Dec. 8, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. (Justin Ford/Getty Images)

"The cat got their tongue tonight, so it's all good," Edwards said of the referees. "It's not fair, but it's all good."

The former Georgia basketball star added that it seemed like his team was playing a game of "8-on-5."

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"The refs was bad tonight. Yeah, they was terrible," he told reporters in the locker room after the game. "We was playing 8-on-5."

The 22-year-old also suggested that other star players in the NBA receive more respect than he does from referees.

Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves dribbles the ball during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on December 14, 2023 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

"I haven't earned [referees' respect] yet, so it's OK," Edwards said. "But I think tonight was bad from the refs. It was terrible. We didn't get no calls as a team. I got fouled multiple times, and I'm walking up to the ref telling him, 'Hey, can you watch this?' They just shaking their head. Yeah. And then soon somebody come down from their team and get bumped, it's a foul. So I just feel like it wasn't a fair game tonight from the jump. And so that's why I'm super happy we won the game."

The league said its decision to discipline Edwards was due to him "repeatedly publicly criticizing the officiating."

Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots a free throw during the game against the San Antonio Spurs on January 27, 2024 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.  (David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

Edwards acknowledged that his comments could result in a fine, which he said he would be prepared to pay. 

"I'm going to take the fine, because the refs did not give us no calls tonight," he said during his on-court postgame interview.

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Monday's win over Oklahoma City improved Minnesota's record to 33-14. The Timberwolves currently sit in the top spot in the Western Conference.

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