"The NBA has fined Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva $25,000 for a flagrant foul he committed on Tuesday against Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas, league executive vice president of basketball operations Stu Jackson announced on Wednesday afternoon.

The foul occurred just before halftime of Tuesday night's Kings/Pistons matchup at The Palace of Auburn Hills. With both the shot and game clock winding down, Kings swingman John Salmons passed the ball to Thomas on the left wing. Thomas drove around a rotating Tayshaun Prince and made his way to the lane, but arrived too late, with the 24-second buzzer going off before he could let loose a potential buzzer-beating floater.

Thomas was, however, just in time to get clobbered in the air by Villanueva, whose attempted contest of the forthcoming shot resulted in his right forearm hitting Thomas on the left arm and his hand coming through to catch Thomas in the face as he fell. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound sophomore, as you might expect, did not take too kindly to the contact from the 6-foot-11, 240-pound UConn product and noted boxing enthusiast:"