NBA: Rockets guard Harden fined for flopping

NEW YORK — Houston Rockets guard James Harden was fined $5,000 by the NBA on Monday (Tuesday, PHL time) for violating the league's anti-flopping rules for the second time this season.

Harden was cited on Saturday (Sunday, PHL time) during the fourth quarter of the Rockets' 107-94 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. With the ball in his hands, he fell out of bounds over the baseline while being defended by Blake Griffin, who appeared to barely touch him.

The NBA put in rules last season in hopes of stopping the act of deceiving referees into making calls when there was little or no contact.

Harden is the first player this season to be fined. A first violation earns a warning. - AP