Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing game officials, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

Bynum was fined for his comments made following the Lakers 101-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Elliot Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News reports:

“It’s hard to win when it’s five against eight,” Bynum said Wednesday.

He meant it was difficult to play against five Mavs plus the three referees. Bynum said he had expected to be fined for the first time in his career.

“I knew it was going to happen,” he said. “Whether it’s fair is debatable.”