The NBA fined J.R. Smith $50,000 for messing with opponents' shoelaces

Preface/Update: 1/3/13

J.R. apparently got into a shoelace battle with Dwight Howard in Houston before all this!

1. 1/5/13

2. 1/7/13

League source says J.R. Smith got league warning, no fine.

— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) January 7, 2014

3. 1/7/13

4. 1/8/13

NBA today fined JR Smith $50,000 for recurring instances of unsportsmanlike conduct. Obvious reference to his recent shoelace fetish.

— Alan Hahn (@alanhahn) January 8, 2014

In case that wasn't clear: J.R. Smith untied one of Shawn Marion's shoelaces on Sunday night in Dallas. Nobody was really affected by it, but the league noticed and told him to knock it off. He did the opposite of knocking it off, reaching for Greg Monroe's shoelace in an identical situation last night against the Pistons. He did it at the first available opportunity.

Part of my brain enjoys this, because it's just so goddamn stupid. A more curmudgeonly part of me-- the part that receives the Knicks most these days-- is kinda tired of this shit. It's J.R.'s money and he can do what he wants (he had to know this was coming), but the impishness loses its charm when you've been playing horrid basketball season. He forgot the damn score in crunch time of a recent game. Most of us are laughing at you, not with you, J.R.

And to the rest of the league: I recommend Ian's Secure Shoelace Knot.