NBA fines Nets for coach's live-ball interference

The league docked Vanterpool $10,000 and the Nets $25,000.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: Vanterpool, 48, is in his first season on Brooklyn's staff after six years as an assistant for the Portland Trail Blazers and two with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The NBA fined the Brooklyn Nets and assistant coach David Vanterpool on Thursday in response to Vanterpool touching an opponent's pass during a game the previous night.

The league docked Vanterpool $10,000 and the Nets $25,000.

On the play in question, the Washington Wizards' Spencer Dinwiddie passed the ball toward Kyle Kuzma in the corner near the Brooklyn bench when Vanterpool reached his hand out while communicating with a player on the court. Vanterpool's hand interfered with the ball, knocking it down to a Nets player for a steal.

The Wizards immediately motioned to the officials to make a call against Vanterpool, but play continued, and the Nets went on to win 119-118.

Kuzma openly criticised the missed call after the game and claimed that Nets head coach Steve Nash was blocking the nearest ref's view so he couldn't see what had happened to the pass.

Vanterpool, 48, is in his first season on Brooklyn's staff after six years as an assistant for the Portland Trail Blazers and two with the Minnesota Timberwolves.