The NBA fined Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas $25,000 for what the league described as "inappropriate language" toward a fan in Boston's Game 3 loss to the Wizards. This was the same game that featured Kelly Oubre Jr. shoving Kelly Olynyk to the ground and multiple arguments that were broken up by referees. 

Tensions were high amid everything that was happening. A fan heckled Thomas, who then threatened him in a way the NBA would never find acceptable. Thomas let his emotions get the better of him as swearing at fans is an automatic penalty from the NBA.

Thomas' fine comes at a time where the way fans interact with players is under a microscope. With baseball's Adam Jones receiving racist taunts from fans, and the Warriors' Draymond Green saying he's received similar treatment, it's hard to not wonder what's taking place between fans and players off camera.

Thomas can't speak like this to a fan, and the fine is warranted, but this is another case in a very short period of time where the way fans are interacting with athletes is getting attention. One of the great parts of the NBA is how close fans can get to the action, but moments like this are why that could one day change. It's unfair to players that fans can get away with saying almost anything, but as soon as a player is caught responding on camera it leads to a penalty.