As the stakes raise for teams in the postseason, the penalties will also raise for first-time floppers.
During its first season of implementation, the new NBA flopping rule warned 24 players and fined five players $5,000, but according to ESPN.com, the league has announced that there will be no warnings for first-time offenders in the playoffs and that players caught flopping will be fined $5,000 for a first offense.
A second offense will incur a $10,000 fine, a third will bring a $15,000 fine, which will increase to $30,000 for a fourth and a player who is found to have flopped five times or more could be subject to a suspension.
The act of flopping has been a problem in the league for years and the new rule was designed to curb it. The 24 citations seems a bit low, but it’s unclear if fewer players are flopping, or if the rule is affecting play. We’ll have to see how players respond in the heat and intensity of playoff games.