Houston Rockets' Chris Paul fined $35K for contact with referee

April 29 (UPI) -- Houston Rockets point guard Chris Paul was fined $35,000 for "aggressively confronting and recklessly making contact with a game official," the NBA announced Monday.

The incident occurred with 4.4 seconds left in the fourth quarter in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. Paul received his second technical foul and was automatically ejected from the contest.

Paul brushed game official Josh Tiven while arguing that Warriors guard Klay Thompson fouled him when chasing after a loose ball. He said after the game that he wasn't aware of contacting the referee. Before practice Monday, he said any contact with the official was "incidental."

"I've definitely got to be better," Paul told reporters. "I shouldn't have got those techs and put my team in those situations, but the game's always going to be emotional. If I'm not emotional, I'm not me, but I've definitely got to be better for my team."

Despite being fined, Paul won't be suspended for Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Tuesday night. The Warriors, who won 104-100 in Game 1, host the Rockets at Oracle Arena in the second game of the series.