The Brooklyn Nets' New Zealand general manager Sean Marks has been suspended for one game without pay and fined $US25,000 ($NZ37,386) in the latest twist in the team's volatile playoff series with Ben Simmons' Philadelphia 76ers.
The NBA said Marks entered the referee's locker room after the Nets lost Sunday's (NZ time) game four 112-108.
The Nets' Jared Dudley and 76ers' Jimmy Butler were ejected from the game after a melee erupted in the third quarter.
76ers' centre Joel Embiid delivered a hard foul to the Nets' big man Jarret Allen and Dudley charged at and pushed Embiid, leading Butler, Simmons and other players, coaches and a referee to step in.
The mass of people crashed into the crowd.
The Nets complained Embiid had repeatedly targeted Allen in the series and had laughed about it in a post game press conference.
Dudley and other Nets players said after Saturday's loss they felt they had to protect themselves if the referees did not.
Tension between the teams began to boil last week when Dudley said in an interview Simmons was "average" when restricted to playing in the half-court.
Sunday's win gave the 76ers a commanding 3-1 lead.
The 76ers need one more win to eliminate the Nets and move to the second round.
The NBA said Marks will serve his suspension on Tuesday when the Nets and 76ers play game five of their opening round series at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center.
AAP
