Yahoo Sports: Dive into the World of Athletics

LaMelo Ball came alive in the fourth quarter, putting up an impressive 15 points and sealing the victory with a pair of controversial free throws following a questionable foul call on the Giants' Antetokounmpo. His standout performance earned him a postgame interview with FanDuel Sports Network's Shannon Spake, where he was asked about his defensive effort on Antetokounmpo's last shot attempt. Ball's defensive pressure forced Antetokounmpo into a tough mid-range shot, ultimately resulting in a missed opportunity for the Giants.

"On that last play, when he took the shot? We loaded up — no homo — but that's what we wanted, put a hand up and lived with the result."

That homophobic slur cost Ball $100,000, the NBA announced Sunday. The NBA said the fine was for "an offensive and derogatory comment in a postgame interview."

This should not be a surprise, the NBA fined Brooklyn's Cam Thomas $40,000 for a similar comment last season. The league is incredibly conscious of its image and is not going to tolerate this kind of comment, this sent a message other players heard.

Finally healthy, Ball, 23, is having a strong season averaging a career-best 29.6 points on a game while shooting 36.4% from 3, with 6.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds a night.