Luka Doncic Fined $35K For Money Gesture ... Toward Referee
How ironic is this -- Luka Doncic just got hit with a $35k fine on Friday ... after the NBA superstar made a money gesture toward a referee during the controversial ending of the Warriors vs. Mavericks game.
ICYMI ... the Mavericks hooper made the gesture after he missed a contested layup with 1.7 seconds left in the game at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday -- when he felt he was fouled, but didn't get a call.
L u k a m o n e y pic.twitter.com/pXJ25XTZCB
— James Burnes (@JamesBurnes8) March 23, 2023 @JamesBurnes8
Of course, Doncic's signal was clearly an expression of frustration -- after all, the Warriors got two free points in the third quarter after a questionable officiating decision ... and the Mavs ended up losing, 127-125.
Regardless of how the Mavs feel about the officiating that night, the league penalized the four-time All-Star minutes ago, saying the hand signal was an "inappropriate and unprofessional gesture."
The Dallas Mavericks plan to file a formal protest of their 127-125 loss to the Warriors to the NBA.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 23, 2023 @ClutchPointsApp
The focus of their protest would be about the referee mistake that led to a wide open dunk for Golden State out of a timeout, per @espn_macmahon.
pic.twitter.com/RSmUaOQeR5
Doncic wasn't the only Maverick pissed off at the refs ... team owner Mark Cuban is protesting the loss, saying the officiating potentially cost them that game.
"Worst officiating non-call mistake possibly in the history of the NBA."
So yeah ... Cuban can expect a fine to come his way, too.
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CeeLo Green Horse Entrance Meant To Be Funny ... I Love All Animals!!!
CeeLo Green is responding to backlash over his horseback entrance to a birthday party ... he says the idea was all in fun, and he meant no ill intent towards the horse.
The singer broke his silence Friday after being dragged for the horse incident, explaining ... "I felt like it could be fun and funny to make a grand entrance on this beautiful animal for a very special occasion."
Remember ... CeeLo rode into Wednesday's party on a horse, with the animal looking nervous around all the lights and partygoers, jolting around and slipping on the tile floor ... causing the horse to buckle and sending CeeLo crashing to the ground.
PETA came out strong against CeeLo ... telling us, "It doesn’t take a genius to know that horses don’t belong at a noisy, crowded party, where slippery floors and strobe lights can agitate these vulnerable animals."
CeeLo says he was just trying to show love to his late friend Shawty Lo -- the party was in Shawty's honor -- and he's chalking it up to his sense of humor.
CG claims he "went through all the proper channels to make that happen with no ill intent towards the animal." But he admits, "It should've been short and sweet but some malfunctions happened and it is what it is but know that I'm ok and yes the horse is ok as well."
Despite getting dragged online, CeeLo says it's just another day in his life.
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Sam Asghari I Want To Act In a Britney Flick ... Maybe Action Comedy!!!
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Sam Asghari wants to star in a movie opposite Britney Spears ... and he thinks they would be the perfect fit for an action comedy.
We got Sam at LAX on Thursday and he was just getting back home from filming a project ... so naturally our photog asked him if he would ever want to act with his wife.
Sam says Britney's a great actress and he for sure wants to team up with her on the big screen ... and it sounds like he's already got some ideas for potential projects.
Britney obviously loves to dance, and Sam thinks her natural athletic ability makes her the perfect candidate for an action comedy ... which he seems to prefer over a rom-com.
The way Sam envisions it ... he and Britney could both do their own stunts, and he's seeing lots of action and fight scenes where they both kick some serious ass.
But before the perfect script comes along, Sam says Britney's excited about visiting him on his current film set ... he says he's in L.A. during a break in filming.
With Amanda Bynes under a psych hold one year after her conservatorship ended, Sam was also asked his feelings on conservatorships in general, seeing as Britney was under a conservatorship for 13 years ... and he didn't hold back in his opposition.
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Lil Nas X Slammed For 'Gays' in Africa Tweet ... After Anti-Gay Law In Uganda
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Lil Nas X's presence on social media has got him in some hot water once again ... with people saying his tweet about 'gays' in Africa is incredibly insensitive on the heels of serious anti-gay legislation in Uganda.
The "Old Town Road" rapper was met with a ton of backlash Wednesday after he tweeted "where do the gays be in africa i wanna come there". The tweet came on the heels Uganda parliament passing one of the most sweeping anti-gay legislations in the world.
The law punishes people with up to 10 years behind bars for simply identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer or anything other than male or female.
More shockingly, citizens can be sentenced to life behind bars for committing gay sex acts and be sentenced to death for "aggravated homosexuality" -- a broad term to include sex acts committed by force as well as incest.
After LNX's tweet, folks quickly hopped on social media to express their disdain, for what they see as an extremely dangerous message. One user wrote, "This is so insensitive especially after Uganda just announced the harsh punishment of even identifying as being LGBTQ” ... and many others backed these same sentiments.
As you know, this isn't the first time he's been in the hot seat for his social media postings, recently issuing an apology for making a trans joke online.
He has not yet commented on the fallout.
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Tyson Fury Rips Into Usyk After Fight Falls Apart ... 'S***house P***y'
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Tyson Fury is LIVID with Oleksandr Usyk after their fight negotiations came to a screeching halt this week ... with the heavyweight champion calling his potential opponent a "bug-eyed, gappy teeth, ugly little rat bastard" after the two sides failed to reach an agreement.
"You little slimy f***er," Fury (33-0-1) said in the scathing clip on Thursday. "Tried all week to get out of it, begging for a rematch [clause] like a little girl. You got your rematch [clause] and didn’t even want to fight at that."
Fury and Usyk (20-0) were initially slated to fight on April 29 ... but that ain't happening now, after both sides couldn't see eye-to-eye over how to handle a potential second bout.
Fury claims his team presented the best possible outcome ... but ultimately, Usyk never wanted to fight him in the first place.
"You little shithouse p***y," Fury added. "Always know, p***y, that you were never man enough to tangle with the Gypsy King ever in your life, you little s***house. You little 14-stone coward. You little s***bag, you rat little bastard."
Fury wasn't done there ... but you get the gist.
There's still hope the fight between the two undefeated boxers -- which would have been a four-belt unification bout -- can still happen ... but fans will have to wait.
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Mark Cuban Blasts Refs Over Controversial Play ... Mavs Protesting Loss
Mark Cuban ripped the NBA refs who officiated his team's Wednesday night game against the Warriors, accusing the crew of screwing up a critical call in a crucial game, potentially costing the squad a win (and maybe even a playoff berth), and now his Mavs are protesting the 127-125 loss.
The call in question went down in the waning moments of the 3rd quarter at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, when Warriors center Kevon Looney had an uncontested dunk on an inbound out of a timeout because the Mavs were lined up on the wrong side of the court, which Cuban blames on the refs.
The Dallas Mavericks plan to file a formal protest of their 127-125 loss to the Warriors to the NBA.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 23, 2023 @ClutchPointsApp
The focus of their protest would be about the referee mistake that led to a wide open dunk for Golden State out of a timeout, per @espn_macmahon.
pic.twitter.com/RSmUaOQeR5
"For those wondering about the play with 1:54 to go on the 3rd, let me explain what happened," Cuban tweeted. "The ref called Mavs ball. The announcer announced it. Then there was a timeout. During the time out the official changed the call and never told us."
He continued ... "Then when they saw us line up as if it were our ball, he just gave the ball to the warriors. "Never said a word to us. They got an easy basketball. Crazy that it would matter in a 2-point game."
Cuban called it the "worst officiating non call mistake possibly in the history of the NBA," adding, "All they had to do was tell us and they didn't."
"There was quite a few people out of position," Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said. "It's correctable, but you first have to admit there was a mistake."
After the game, crew chief Sean Wright gave the refs side of the story, and they're saying they didn't do anything wrong.
"Initially on the floor, the original signal was in fact Golden State ball as this can be seen on video," Wright told The Athletic. "There is a second signal but that signal is for a mandatory timeout that was due to the Mavs."
And, sure enough, video seems to support what the officiating crew is saying.
Meanwhile, GSW coach Steve Kerr said he was confused when he saw the Mavs lined up on the other end of the court because he felt it was pretty clear the Warriors were getting possession of the ball.
Steve Kerr runs through his thoughts on the Mavs being on the wrong side of the court during the bizarre ATO pic.twitter.com/2bIID0z70m
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) March 23, 2023 @NBCSWarriors
Dallas' loss to GSW could end up having massive implications on the playoffs ... the Mavs fell to ninth in the Western Conference, as teams are still jockeying for position with only a few regular season games left on the schedule.
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Ja Morant Returns From Gun Vid Suspension ... Standing Ovation From Crowd
There was clearly no love lost for Ja Morant in Memphis during his recent suspension ... 'cause the second he returned to action for the Grizzlies, he was greeted with a massive standing ovation.
Ja -- after sitting out nearly the entire month of March for posting a video that showed him brandishing a gun at a Colorado gentleman's club -- made his long-awaited return to the NBA hardwood on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets ... and the crowd went crazy after seeing him.
He came off the bench with 3:05 remaining in the first quarter ... and the nearly 18,000 fans at FedExForum in Memphis got on their feet to show they still supported him.
STILL THAT DUDE @JaMorant pic.twitter.com/Mw3Cw6o7yT
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) March 23, 2023 @memgrizz
And, it didn't take long for the star point guard to give them more to cheer about -- minutes after he checked into the game, he dunked all over Houston's Kenyon Martin Jr.
Some of Ja's family was in attendance for the big night -- including his father, Tee, who wore a sweatshirt with an image of Morant and the word "Redemption."
Morant ultimately played 23 minutes in the game, scoring 17 points ... helping lead Memphis to a 130-125 victory.
the M is behind you @JaMorant 💙 pic.twitter.com/okWXweKiid
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) March 23, 2023 @memgrizz
After the contest, he thanked all of his supporters for standing by him during his time away from the team ... adding that it "felt good to be back."
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'Vanderpump Rules' Ariana Madix I've Got a Vibrator Now ... Who Needs Tom?!?
"Vanderpump Rules" star Ariana Madix knows how to keep herself satisfied following a messy split from her boyfriend ... because she signed a deal with a sex toy company.
Ariana made the announcement Thursday with a social media post, telling fans they can get a free vibrator by signing up for her giveaway.
The reality TV star is partnering with Bellesa Boutique ... and she says she's changing up her vibe following her breakup with Tom Sandoval.
As you know ... Ariana and Tom were together for a decade, until she recently found out he had been cheating on her with fellow cast member Raquel Leviss.
We haven't seen Ariana move on with any new romantic partners ... and with her new deal, she doesn't need to rush out to find a man for sex.
Boyfriends, who needs 'em ... vibrators don't cheat!!!
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Raquel Leviss Super Chatty After Airport Silence ... OK, Let's Talk Scandoval!!!
Raquel Leviss must not find the airport to be too conducive for conversation -- 'cause while she was mum there about the drama ... she sang like a canary at a nail shop.
The "Vanderpump Rules" star was greeted by a photog Wednesday outside of Blush Nail Bar in Valley Village, CA -- just outside of North Hollywood. She was sitting there all by her lonesome ... and was certainly ready to answer questions, unlike earlier in the morning.
Remember, she was caught on camera at LAX not too long before this ... and was radio silent on the cheating controversy, only giving courtesy nods and waves to paps.
'Vanderpump Rules' Star Raquel Leviss Arrives in L.A. Day Before Reunion
Here, though, she's fully opening up about ... well, everything. It's interesting to hear her perspective -- the first time we're really getting her side of the story, and how things stand.
Check out the convo ... RL addresses everything from taking accountability for her actions -- which she says she's prepared to do at the reunion taping tomorrow -- to an attempted reconciliation between herself and Ariana Madix, which doesn't sound like it went well.
Of course, she's teasing the big reveal ... which will undoubtedly be aired on Bravo in the near future. But even with the obvious promo involved, she's quite transparent here.
Raquel touches on where things are with her and Tom Sandoval -- and one line of hers is revealing ... she says they're not labeling things and not sure if they'll stay together. At the moment she says they're on a "break" ... and they'll see where they go from here.
Another topic that's addressed ... the alleged attack from Scheana Shay, which Raq seems to be implying did in fact happen -- if the scar on her eyebrow is to be believed.
There's more Raquel dives into ... Tom Schwartz and his rumored knowledge about all this included. Give it a watch -- it's fascinating how much she actually spills on camera.
The gang's all here for the big showdown on Thursday -- sparks are sure to fly!
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Pacers' Buddy Hield Fined $25,000 For Flipping Birdie ... During Hornets Game
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Buddy Hield has just been fined $25,000 by the NBA ... and it's all 'cause he flipped off someone during the Pacers vs. Hornets game on Monday night.
League Exec Joe Dumars announced the punishment for the Indiana star on Wednesday afternoon ... after he was spotted shootin' the bird not once, but twice while on his team's bench.
The incident occurred with 11:30 left in the second quarter of the game ... as Hield was sitting next to Tyrese Haliburton.
Buddy Hield has been FINED $25,000 for "making an obscene gesture on the playing court", the NBA has announced.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 22, 2023 @ClutchPointsApp
The incident occurred at the 2nd quarter of the Pacers' loss vs. the Hornets. pic.twitter.com/HUsXJkZrgK
Cameras showed Buddy appeared to be locked in on something ... before he discreetly tried to flash his left middle finger. Eventually, he just let the single-barrel salute fly.
Unclear who Hield was flipping off or what caused him to make the gesture ... but he seemed to crack a sly smile in the video, so it's possible it was all in jest.
Nevertheless, the NBA caught Hield red-handed ... and now, they're making the sharpshooter pay up for his actions.
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Amanda Bynes Psych Hold to Be Extended ... Wandered Streets for Days
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Amanda Bynes will likely spend an extended period of time getting the psychiatric care she needs, and we've learned more about the days leading up to her walking naked through L.A. streets.
Sources close to Amanda tell us they're still putting the pieces together, but at this point believe she could've been living on the streets for several days. We're told Amanda's car was towed on March 15 in Long Beach, about 40 miles from her home ... and 25 miles from downtown L.A., where she popped up Sunday.
MARCH 2023
From Long Beach, our sources believe Amanda hitchhiked or took public transport to get around. She was spotted in Hollywood on March 18, appearing out of it but still clothed.
At one point, we're told, Amanda got a ride to Beverly Hills from a stranger but then asked to return to Hollywood.
We're also told since she was first brought to a mental health hospital early Sunday morning, she's started to make improvements ... but the expectation is she will likely be committed at least another week before she'll be well enough for discharge.
As we told you, it was early morning March 19 when Bynes was spotted wandering the streets near Downtown Los Angeles -- waving a car down for help and calling 911.
Bynes was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold, which typically lasts at least 72 hours.
Today, March 22, marks exactly one year since Amanda's conservatorship was terminated. At this time, sources close to Amanda tell us her parents don't plan to bring the conservatorship back into play.
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Twice's Chaeyoung K-Pop Star Apologizes for Swastika on Shirt
Chaeyoung -- a member of the K-Pop group Twice -- is apologizing for wearing a swastika on her shirt ... saying she didn't realize what the symbol was.
The singer took to IG for her mea culpa, writing ... "I sincerely apologize regarding the Instagram post. I didn't correctly recognize the meaning of the tilted swastika in the t-shirt I wore."
She adds, "I deeply apologize for not thoroughly reviewing it, causing concern. I will pay absolute attention in the future to prevent any situation similar from happening again."
Unclear when she wore the top in question, but there's a photo that shows her posing at a restaurant with a Sid Vicious graphic tee, where he's depicted in black and white ... and baring a swastika on his own shirt.
You could argue she's just a Sex Pistols fan, but some called it antisemitic -- and she obviously felt a correction was needed. As for her explanation ... some aren't buying it.
Chaeyoung has also been seen wearing QAnon shirts, and she's gotten criticism for that too. A good handful of folks feel she's promoting radicalism through her wardrobe, and that she oughta take accountability and stop it.
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Amanda Bynes Parents Not Considering Another Conservatorship ... In Wake Of Psych Hold
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Amanda Bynes' parents aren't viewing her recent psychotic episode as a reason to put her into another conservatorship ... but that doesn't mean her episode hasn't set off alarm bells.
A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... Amanda's parents, Lynn and Rick, are deeply concerned about their daughter's well-being and health after her latest ordeal -- but another conservatorship isn't on the table, at least for now.
Amanda had been living independently in her own house and taking cosmetology classes and until fairly recently seemed to be doing fine, so Sunday's episode seemed like an anomaly.
We're told her parents are also taking comfort in the fact Amanda was self-aware enough to recognize she was in trouble ... flagging down a car for help and calling 911 herself.
TMZ broke the story, Amanda was placed on a 5150 psychiatric hold after being spotted walking naked near Downtown L.A. Sunday morning.
She was taken to a nearby police station and a mental health team felt a psych hold was necessary. Typically, 5150 holds last only 72 hours, but they can be extended.
As you know, Amanda was in a conservatorship for almost a decade, starting back in 2013 while struggling with her mental health. The plug was pulled on her conservatorship a year ago tomorrow.
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Stormy Daniels Influx of Threats Over Trump Case ... Taking Safety Precautions
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Stormy Daniels is feeling the effects of Donald Trump's possible looming arrest ... we're told her life is being threatened, so she's beefing up her security.
Stormy's attorney, Clark Brewster, tells TMZ ... his client recently received lots of "vitriolic messages" on social media, including some very concerning direct messages.
The alleged threats come on the heels of Trump announcing Saturday he expects to be arrested Tuesday by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg over the notorious Stormy Daniels hush-money case.
Stormy's attorney says she's taking extra precautions -- her team doesn't want to share specifics, for fear of tipping off someone who might want to do her harm. ... Brewster has only said in the past, "Stormy for years has had security when she needs to."
As for some of the nasty online comments, Stormy's been called a "Worthless Whore," "degenerate prostitute" and an "extortionist who should be in prison."
Remember ... Bragg has been investigating Trump for allegedly making a $130,000 payment to Stormy ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is accused of brokering the deal with the porn star to buy her silence over their alleged affair, accusations Trump has long denied.
Stormy, we're told, has been threatened before over DM ... and her attorney says Stormy knows what steps to take to ensure she's safe and comfortable.
So, all eyes Tuesday will be trained on Trump ... and Stormy.
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Jimmy Garoppolo Offered 'Free Sex For Life' Deal ... From LV Brothel Workers
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Jimmy Garoppolo's Raiders career might start off with a bang -- that is, if he accepts a once-in-a-lifetime offer from two Nevada brothel workers ... who tell TMZ Sports they wanna hook him up with free sex forever!!
The two lovely ladies are Caitlin Bell and Alice Little of the famous Chicken Ranch brothel ... and they tell us they're really excited the "heartthrob" is moving to their neck of the woods after inking a 3-year deal with the Raiders last week.
The licensed workers wanna show Jimmy G just how grateful they are now that he's moving from The Bay to Vegas ... with a free-for-life sex package!!!
"I almost fainted when I heard Jimmy signed with the Raiders," Bell said in a statement.
"He deserves free sex just for joining our team," Bell said. "But he gets free sex for life from us just because he’s such a legit babe!"
Little also points out that next year's Super Bowl is at Allegiant Stadium ... so she wants to make sure the 31-year-old feels stimulated all season.
"Jimmy brought the Niners to the Super Bowl and he could do the same for the Raiders," Little said.
"The next Big Game is in Vegas, so I’m going to go all the way to inspire Jimmy to go all the way!"
If Jimmy G goes through with the offer, he's definitely in good hands -- Bell has been featured in several adult videos and was recently nominated for Best Sex Scene in the 2023 XBIZ Awards, while Little is a sex worker advocate and intimacy coach.
The offer seems to be right up Garoppolo's alley -- after all, he famously went on a date with adult film actress Kiara Mia back in the day.
7/19/18
These brothel workers aren't the only ones wanting to give Jimmy G a deal ... Sheri's Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada penned a letter to the QB, inviting him and a few of his new teammates to a VIP experience.
"A celebratory weekend blowout with you and a few of your new Raiders teammates to take advantage of the resort’s themed hotel suites, bar and restaurant, swimming pool, and Jacuzzi - all expenses paid, of course," a Sheri's Ranch spokesperson said in the letter.
"Sheri’s invites you into the VIP bungalows with your choice of on-site courtesans, as well as a special Playland with themed rooms to make you feel right at home."
Hey, they don't call it Sin City for nothin'!!!
Tune into the TMZ Sports Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
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Mercyhurst Univ.'s Carson Briere Charged Over Wheelchair Push
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College ice hockey player Carson Briere -- the son of Philadelphia Flyers GM Daniel Briere -- was hit with three criminal charges on Monday ... after he was seen on video pushing a woman's wheelchair down a flight of stairs earlier this month.
According to court records, Briere was charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, and conspiracy to commit criminal mischief. The records show he's due in court in May for a hearing on the matter.
In court documents, obtained by the Associated Press, Erie City Police allege Carson -- a junior center on Mercyhurst Univ.'s hockey team -- put people at risk when he shoved a wheelchair down stairs at a bar near Mercyhurst's Pennsylvania campus on March 11.
The AP reports the woman who owned the wheelchair, Sydney Benes, told police she had just bought the chair for $2,000 a year ago ... and Carson's push left it significantly damaged.
According to the AP, Mercyhurst Univ. lacrosse player Patrick Carrozzi was also hit with criminal charges for his alleged role in the incident.
Bar Bans College Hockey Player Carson Briere Over Wheelchair Push
Carson fessed up to pushing the chair after video from the bar went viral ... saying in a statement last week he was "deeply sorry" for his behavior. His father added in a statement that Carson's actions were "inexcusable."
Carson has been suspended from Mercyhurst's team as the school investigates the matter. The bar, meanwhile, has banned him.
A GoFundMe created for Benes after the incident has raised over $8,000. Benes has said she plans to use the money to fix her chair ... and then donate the rest to others in need.