Kristaps Porzingis was fined $50 thousand by the NBA for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols, which reportedly including visiting a strip club in Los Angeles, where the Mavericks were for games one and two of their first round series against the Clippers.
Former Knick Derek Harper talked with Moose & Maggie on Wednesday and was willing to write off the former Knicks star's violation as a misstep.
"I'm gonna say that it was a mistake," Harper said. "I think we forget sometimes these kids are young, they're not even 25-30 years old. I'm not going to make excuses for KP. I think if you ask him and if he had to do it over again, he would not make that decision to go to a strip club."
Porzingis is fully vaccinated and didn't have to quarantine after his infraction, but still violated the league's rules, and if you ask Harper, strip clubs shouldn't be on an NBA player's docket during the postseason, pandemic or not. The sole focus should be chasing a championship.
"I'm under the assumption that once the playoffs start, everything is cut off," Harper said. "Family members, everybody. When I played in New York, you had to take it that serious, playing under coach Riley. I just think it's a young mistake, and fortunately…it didn't come back to bite the Mavericks."
Porzingis scored 20 points in game two as Dallas took a surprising 2-0 series lead over the Clippers, who continue to struggle in the playoffs. Porzingis apologized for his violation after game two, but if the Mavericks want to make a run to the Finals like Harper's Knicks did in 1994, it will take complete focus that can't involve trips to the club during a playoff series.
"He's got to know better and he's go to do better," Harper said. "There's no question about it."
Follow WFAN's midday team on Twitter: @MandMWFAN, @MarcMalusis, and @MaggieGray
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch
