On May 27, 2022, the Miami Heat secured a 111-103 playoff victory over Boston, but their celebration came with a price. The team was fined $25,000 by the NBA for violating league rules regarding team bench decorum.
The infraction occurred when several Heat players stood away from the team bench and encroached upon the playing court during live game action. This drew the attention of television commentators, who noted the intimidating presence of Heat reserves near the sideline.
The fine is the latest in a series of bench decorum infractions in the NBA playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks were previously fined $100,000 for a third post-season violation of the rule, and were eliminated by Golden State in the Western Conference finals.
The Miami Heat's victory over Boston pulled the team level at 3-3 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals series, forcing a seventh game on May 29, 2022, at Miami. The winner will face the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, which open on June 2, 2022, at San Francisco.
