NBA Slaps Pistons’ Edwards With $3,500 Fine for Hitting Nealy

James Edwards of the Detroit Pistons was fined $3,500 for slapping Ed Nealy of the Chicago Bulls during the fourth quarter of the second game of the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals Tuesday night.

The fine was announced Thursday by Rod Thorn, NBA vice president of operations.

Edwards was ejected after the incident, and there was speculation that he could have been suspended from Saturday’s Game 3 of the series, which Detroit leads, 2-0. Although not announced, it is likely that Thorn has ruled that Edwards’ action was an open-hand slap, rather than a punch, because a punch would have brought a more severe penalty.