The penalty stemmed from a fourth-quarter sequence with roughly three minutes remaining in regulation.Pushing the ball in transition, George made contact with Detroit guard Duncan Robinson before dramatically collapsing to the floor in an Oscar-worthy attempt to bait a whistle.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.
If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.Jayson Tatum and Paul George of the Boston Celtics box out during a game against the Detroit Pistons on Oct.
20, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.(NBAE via Getty Images)On-court officials swallowed their whistles in real time, but the league office retroactively assessed the violation upon postgame video review.THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE.
DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!Under NBA regulations, postgame flopping penalties begin at $2,000 on an escalating scale.For a superstar commanding nearly $50 million this season, the fine amounts to little more than loose couch cushion change.Paul George of the Boston Celtics shoots a free throw against the Detroit Pistons on Oct.
20, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.(NBAE via Getty Images)Paul George #13 of the Boston Celtics plays defense against the Detroit Pistons on Oct.
20, 2026, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.(NBAE via Getty Images)Tuesday's physical opener frequently devolved into a four-quarter flop-fest with players repeatedly hitting the deck on contested shots, yet George was somehow the only player singled out to receive an invoice from league officials.The slap on the wrist capped an otherwise strong Celtics debut for the nine-time All-Star, who was putting on an absolute clinic.George poured in 38 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the floor, including 7-of-12 from beyond the arc.
He added five rebounds, five steals, and three assists in 31 minutes, break...