NEW YORK (AP) -- Brooklyn Nets forward Reggie Evans has become the first player to be fined for flopping by the NBA, penalized $5,000 for a second offense.

Evans was punished after exaggerating light contact from the Lakers' Metta World Peace on Tuesday night, nearly crashing into a referee standing along the sideline a few feet away.

Evans had received a warning for going down with little or no contact while battling for a rebound against Boston on Nov. 15.

The NBA instituted a set of rules this season in hopes of ending the act of a player trying to fool referees into calling a foul when he was only lightly touched or perhaps not at all. After an initial warning, fines rise to $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 and $30,000 for repeated offenses.