NBA fines Rasheed Wallace for comments

BOSTON, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- The NBA Wednesday fined Boston Celtics forward Rasheed Wallace $35,000 for publicly criticizing officials after a game this week.

Wallace, a 14-year veteran and one of the league's most-ejected players, was fined by Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson for comments he made following Monday's 99-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

"The refs" don't like no tough defense on (high-scoring Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki)," Wallace told reporters. "So of course I get a whole lot of (expletive) calls, but that's how the story goes."

Nowitzki scored 22 of his 37 points in the second half, many after Wallace was benched by Boston Coach Doc Rivers when he got into foul trouble.

"I ain't worried about it," Wallace told The Dallas Morning News. "We'll see them again (and) there will be retribution."

Boston plays at Dallas March 20.