That is a clear flop — and one that got the call, which is why guys do this.
It was a close game, there were three minutes left and the Pistons were up four, when Brandon Jennings missed a floater and the Bucks’ Jeff Adrien grabbed the board and came down. Jennings was close to him, got brushed, and then fell to the ground.
The referees called a foul on Adrien. By the way, the Pistons went on to win the game (not because of this call, but again, this is why guys flop).
Jennings had been warned for flopping by the league back in December (against the Rockets) so for this one the league hit Jennings with a $5,000 fine.
Four players had already received a flopping fine this season: James Harden, Corey Brewer, Lance Stephenson and Mario Chalmers. Another 22 players have gotten a warning from the league but there is no fine with the first offense.
Last summer David Stern could not get the league’s competition committee to stiffen the flopping fines, so they remain ineffectual. It will be interesting to see if newly minted commissioner Adam Silver has better luck. You know flopping is going to come up as an issue in the playoffs and Silver will have to address it.
