O’Neal Is Fined $25,000

Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Saturday for publicly criticizing the referees after a Game 3 loss to the Chicago Bulls.

O’Neal had eight points, four rebounds and five fouls Thursday in a 109-90 loss. Miami still leads the best-of-seven series, 2-1. O’Neal said referees target him and he knew he was in trouble when he saw referee Bob Delaney was working the game.

After early foul trouble, O’Neal spent most of the second quarter on the sideline. He had only one basket in the first three quarters, and said afterward that he was “humiliated.”

Meanwhile, teammate James Posey didn’t offer any apologies for a flagrant foul in the same game for knocking down Chicago guard Kirk Hinrich in the open court, earning Posey a one-game suspension for today’s Game 4.

“Do you apologize after all your fouls?” Posey said when asked about it.

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The Washington Wizards say LeBron James’ first NBA playoff game-winning shot in Game 3 came with an assist -- from the referees.

And, Wizard Coach Eddie Jordan said, what he thinks should have been a traveling call is part of a pattern of James’ getting protection from referees.

“I’m not going to get fined for saying what’s obvious. Everybody sees it,” said Jordan, complaining about James’ banking in a four-footer with 5.7 seconds left after moving past Antonio Daniels to give Cleveland a 97-96 victory and a 2-1 series lead.