Tristan Thompson avoids Game 2 suspension; fined $25,000

Tristan Thompson will not be suspended for his altercation with Draymond Green during Game 1 of the NBA Finals. He will, however, be fined $25,000.

The league announced Thompson’s fine via a press release on Friday night.

With 2.6 seconds remaining in the game, Thompson received a Flagrant 2 foul call and automatic ejection. Golden State’s Shaun Livingston pulled up for a jumper and Thompson’s elbow appeared to hit him in the side of the head. The NBA has since downgraded the foul to a Flagrant 1 “upon league office review.”

The Warriors were leading by eight at the time.

“I contested a shot that shouldn’t have been taken,” Thompson said Thursday night. “I mean, it’s like the unspoken rule in the NBA: If you’re up 10 or 11 with about 20 seconds left, you don’t take that shot. I make the contest, and next thing I know, I was being kicked out for a good contest that we learn in training camp. I don’t know why I got thrown out.”

As Thompson was walking off the floor, Green continued to taunt him. That’s when Thompson shoved Green and pushed the ball into his face. The shove, combined with “failing to leave the court in a timely manner,” is what earned him the fine, per the release.

With all that went wrong for the Cavs down the stretch in Game 1, this is definitely them catching a break. Thompson didn’t make a major offensive impact in Game 1, but he obviously offers them an advantage on the boards (the Cavs won the rebounding battle 53-38 in Game 1) and ups the physicality.