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LaMelo Ball 's middle finger cost him a Honda Civic -- the NBA just fined him $35,000 for flipping off a referee during the Hornets vs. Heat game this week.

The league announced the punishment on Thursday ... days after the Charlotte star made an "obscene gesture" during the showdown at Kaseya Center in Miami.

It occurred in the last minutes of the matchup, when Ball expressed his frustrations after he was called for an offensive foul. He received a technical foul for his actions.

It wasn't the only notable moment in the game for Ball -- earlier in the night, he accidentally kicked the rock into opponent Davion Mitchell 's face.

It's obvious Ball was frustrated -- the Hornets lost, 144-117, despite his 20 points to lead the team. Charlotte is currently 2-2 on the season ...

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