Celtics Fine McHale for Missing Plane Flight

Boston Celtic forward Kevin McHale has been fined an undisclosed amount by Coach K.C. Jones for failing to get to New York on Christmas Eve, The Boston Globe reported today.

“He had permission to take a later flight Tuesday, but apparently missed it,” Celtic General Manager Jan Volk said.

Said Jones: “He missed the flight and that’s a fine.”

Asked how much McHale was fined, Jones said: “That’s something we work out ourselves.”

McHale was the only Celtic who did not make it to New York on Tuesday night. He flew to the city Wednesday morning before that afternoon’s double-overtime 113-104 loss to the New York Knicks. He led Boston with 29 points.

Celtic players were informed this month that they’d have to be in New York on Tuesday night for Wednesday’s nationally televised game.

The Celtics were subject to a $15,000 league fine if they waited until Wednesday morning to make the trip.

Celtic player representative Danny Ainge said the league offered to pay for Celtic families to make the trip, but McHale did not take the league up on the offer, the Globe said.

“It’s no big deal,” McHale said. “I missed the flight . . . I deserved the fine. No, I still don’t know how much the fine will be.”