Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons was fined $20,000 and assessed a flagrant foul by the NBA on Friday for elbowing Toronto’s Kyle Lowry in the groin during a playoff victory Thursday.
League officials reviewed videos of the Australian star making contact with Lowry with 8:36 remaining in the second quarter of Philadelphia’s 116-95 home victory over the Raptors.
Simmons and Lowry tangled under the basket after a Philadelphia missed shot and Simmons struck Lowry in the groin. No foul was called on the play, referees missing the contact.
The 76ers seized a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference second-round series with game four on Sunday in Philadelphia.
Lowry and Simmons also clashed in January 2018, threatening a fight away from the court.
Simmons, 22, has averaged 16.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.6 steals a game for the 76ers this season.
The Raptors-76ers series winner will face either the Milwaukee Bucks or Boston Celtics for a berth in the NBA Finals. (Agence France-Presse)