Barnes, along with Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka, got ejected, and Blake Griffin of the Clippers received a technical foul for their parts in a scuffle with 6 seconds left in the second quarter of their game Wednesday night.
Griffin was trying to put the ball up and his arms and Ibaka's became entangled. Barnes shoved Ibaka hard in the chest. Griffin kept trying to get at Ibaka as players from both teams formed a scrum.
After his ejection, Barnes used a derogatory term in a profane tweet that began "I love my teammates like family," but went on to suggest he was tired of backing them up because his actions "cost me money."
Those actions ended up costing him $25,000 on Thursday when the NBA fined him for failing to leave the court in a timely manner and using inappropriate language on Twitter.
"I was completely wrong for pushing Ibaka & then for what I tweeted following the altercation," Barnes posted Thursday on his verified Twitter account. "My poor choice of words & timing do not reflect who or what I am about.
"It was very selfish on my part to make this situation about me instead of my teammates that fought their hearts out & earned a big win against a tough okc team."
Barnes tweeted that he "could have took the easy way out" and claimed that his Twitter account was hacked.
"But that's not what I'm about, I accept full responsibility for all my inappropriate action last night & I am truly sorry!"
ROSE DEBATE
We've been here before. This story played out all of last year in excruciating fashion, and here's hoping the same doesn't continue this year.
And while this time around isn't nearly as serious, it's not comforting to see Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls disagree on the status of his health.
Rose, who sat out the second straight day of practice for a right hamstring injury, said he could play today if need be. For the record, today is Thursday and Rose is listed as day-to-day for the Bulls' Friday game against the Toronto Raptors.
“If I could go right now, if the game was today, I’d be playing,’’ Rose said Thursday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “Like I said, I’m not worried about that. It’s taking my time, not pushing myself, and like I said, not extending myself.
“It’s not a concern at all. I think everything I do or if I get hurt, it can be anything, it’s going to be blown out of proportion. I’m doing fine and it shouldn’t be anything to worry about.’’
The Bulls have taken on a different approach, the horror of playing without their star player last season still fresh.
Rose sat out 18 months for an ACL injury, and Chicago actually made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs without him. It wasn't easy, though, as there were several injuries along the way.
Because of their struggle to find bodies without Rose, the Bulls are far more conservative in their handling of him than they were in 2011-12, when he played through injuries and eventually suffered the ACL injury.
RONDO TIMETABLE
Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge doesn't expect to see point guard Rajon Rondo back on the court until December, the team announced on Twitter (via ProBasketballTalk).
The Celtics have played through hot and cold streaks already through this young NBA season, and it's hard to see them finding any form of consistency without Rondo.
Ainge on Rondo: "He's making great progress. I don't have a return date for him... I don't see anything happening this month."
Ainge's statement is somewhat vague, but ProBasketballTalk pointed out that Ainge previously said Rondo's status would become week to week once the season reached December.
Back in September, Celtics forward Jared Sullinger, who dealt with his own problems but will return Friday, said he believed Rondo could return in December. Coach Brad Stevens downplayed the notion of a December return, though, and was hesitant to commit to any timetable.
Honestly, there's no point in rushing Rondo back to a team that is going nowhere this season, and the Celtics have to know that. They're slowplaying his return, which is the right thing to do.
ODOM FUTURE
Lamar Odom's recent struggles were very public, but his recovery has taken on a more private tone.
And even as he works to make a basketball return in private, the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers have kept a close eye on Odom and would consider taking a chance on him, ESPNLosAngeles.com reports, citing sources.
Both teams, which considered signing him before drug use allegations and an August DUI charge hit news, would have renewed interest in Odom if he were to make a basketball comeback this season, ESPNLosAngeles.com reports.
Odom has spent time with both franchises, and he was an integral part of two Lakers NBA championships and has a good relationship with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.
The best days of Odom's career came as a Laker, but things started to go downward after he was including in a trade proposal for Chris Paul. Hurt by his inclusion, he asked for a trade. With the Dallas Mavericks, though, Odom was out of shape and struggled on the court.
Odom has played 14 NBA seasons, with 12 of those played for the Lakers and Clippers.
ASIK WANTS TRADE
Three days ago against Toronto, Houston Rockets center Omer Asik was a starter alongside Dwight Howard. On Thursday against the Knicks here at Madison Square Garden, it appeared that Asik had not only lost the starting job, but was out of the rotation altogether.
That came following a pregame report from Houston Chronicle beat writer Jonathan Feigen stating that Asik had requested a trade.
After the game, coach Kevin McHale said that the DNP for Asik had nothing to do with a potential trade. “I talked to Omer today and I don’t know about any trade rumors, but he told me today that he wasn’t feeling good and he didn’t know if he could play,” McHale said. “I asked him, 'Are you ready to play?', and he said, 'I don’t feel good,' and that’s why we went with Greg (Smith).”
Asik left the locker room before reporters were granted access.
MELO ANGRY AT REFS
Carmelo Anthony would like some of the calls that James Harden received.
Anthony acknowledged frustration with the officiating Thursday night after Harden attempted 18 free throws in the Houston Rockets' 109-106 victory over the New York Knicks.
Asked if it was tough that the Knicks sent Harden to the line often when they got close, Anthony replied, "We didn't put him on the line, they put him on the line."
Harden led the NBA in free throw attempts last season and is third this season. He was 16 of 18 Thursday, while Anthony, his teammate on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, was 9 for 11.
"You look at that, you see the way that some guys get their calls," Anthony said, "and for me, I've got to get cut, you've got to see blood for me to get a call down there. So that's where the frustration comes from."
Contributors: DeAntae Prince, Sean Deveney, The Associated Press
